


Nevertheless, She Persisted

by dawninthemtn



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: "I've Had it Up To Here" Rey, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/M, Fake Dating, Gratuitous Bantering, Secret Softie Ben, This is about politics but not really about politics, Tropes abound, US Presidential Campaign - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-24
Updated: 2020-02-28
Packaged: 2020-03-13 21:26:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 22
Words: 90,525
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18948988
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dawninthemtn/pseuds/dawninthemtn
Summary: Junior campaign staffer Rey works for US presidential candidate Leia Organa and ends up with the job of babysitting her aloof and entitled adult son Ben.





	1. July Part I

_Democratic National Convention, Dallas, TX_

The largest luxury suite at the Ritz-Carlton still managed to feel cramped as Rey pushed her way through makeshift desks, tables, balloons, and campaign staffers bustling around. Someone talking into a headset spun on her heels, crashing right into Rey and nearly knocking the coffee she held right out of her hand.

It hadn’t been Rey’s fault, but she still felt compelled to apologize timidly as she slipped away.

She was only a junior staffer, after all.

That term was generous in the first place, given that she was an unpaid intern, allowed in this temporary campaign headquarters by a sheer stroke of good luck.

She finally made her way over to the man who had given her this amazing opportunity and waited for a chance to interrupt.

Luckily, Poe spotted her out of the corner of his eye and reached out for the coffee.

“Thank you, Rey,” he said. Turning to the two women in the front of him, he gently nudged Rey forward to present her. “Have you guys met my assistant, Rey Niima? She TA’d for me last year and I knew I had to have her along on this campaign.”

Both of the women smiled at Rey. Her heart stuttered anxiously. Despite the fact that Poe worked directly with them, she had never expected to actually meet these two amazing women whom she looked up to.

Amilyn Holdo, Campaign Manager, was the first to stick her hand out.

“It’s great to have you, Rey,” she said warmly.

That left the woman herself. The main event. The reason they were all in this stuffy room in Texas in July.

Leia Organa, the former governor of California, and the person who would accept the Democratic Party nomination for President of the United States that very evening.

“Thank you for the support,” she said, also extending her hand. Rey shook it and nodded in her direction.

Poe, Amilyn, and Leia all faced each other again and resumed their conversation. They had important things to do, after all. She was certain that both women had already forgotten her name.

Rey, however, had nothing to do. She had spent the last couple of days flitting around between the American Airlines Center to see various speakers, and the Ritz-Carlton to help Poe with whatever innocuous task that he was too busy and important to do himself. Now that he had his coffee, her work was done.

Poe Dameron, professor of political science at UCLA, was Amilyn Holdo’s right hand man. And because Rey had been his TA through sophomore and junior years, he had offered her this position. She would have continued as his TA through senior year had he not taken his sabbatical to work on this campaign.

Poe promised her that he would work as hard as he could to find her a full-time, paid position as soon as possible. Tonight’s official nomination, he had sworn, would give him the funding and opening he needed to get it all done.

Rey always told him not to worry, thrilled as she was that he had even thought of her for this role.

She was too nervous to tell him how desperately she needed a real position.

Now that she was facing graduation in a couple of weeks, having added a minor to buy herself a couple more months, the emails were coming in. They warned her that her student visa would expire soon.

Perhaps in retrospect, majoring in political science wasn’t the most genius move if she wanted to guarantee a position in the States following graduation.

But she loved politics. This was where she wanted to be. She loved the stress, the ever-changing nature, the strategizing, and the twists and turns. Just being here at this convention was a dream come true, even if she was slumming it up across town in a motel with Rose, her new friend from the campaign. While Poe had paid her entry fees, she had had to dangerously lower her meager savings just to pay for her flight and expenses.

It was all worth it. And tonight she was going to personally witness her hero take the stage and accept the party’s nomination like the queen she was.

Right now, though, Leia Organa was acting less like a queen and more like a petulant teenager, arms crossed and eyes rolling.

Against her better judgment, Rey repositioned herself so she could listen in to Poe, Amilyn, and Leia better.

“It’s absurd,” Leia ranted. “It’s anti-feminist.”

“Obviously I complete agree,” said Amilyn quickly, “but last week Senator Mothma had her husband and three kids smiling behind her when she accepted the Republican nomination. If Ben’s not there, it will stick out. The media will be all over it.”

Leia snorted. “I’ve known Mon for years. It’s not like she has this great marriage, no matter what people see.”

“But that’s just it,” cut in Poe. “What matters is what people see. They’re sympathetic you’re a widow, but they want to see you as a good mother. They need you to be likeable…”

“Poe,” said Leia firmly. “Shut up.” She turned fully to Amilyn. “So anyway, I’m tired of fighting my idiot son.”

“But if you could just try him again. I know it’s all backwards, but people are going to wonder what kind of a mother has a son who won’t show up to the most important night of her life.”

“And not what kind of _son_ he is,” Leia grumbled. “It’s all on me. Bad mother. I’m going to give a speech tonight about how I’m going to make America a better place for the entire world and all anyone will care about is whether my son is there with me.”

Leia sighed, but pulled out her phone and made a call. After a minute, she hung up.

“No answer. Surprise, surprise. Look, I’m running out of time. I’ll stop by his room later but if he doesn’t want to show up, that’s his prerogative. At least I’ll have you all cheering me on.”

She and Amilyn took off for a bedroom, presumably to continue prepping for the big speech. Poe pulled out his phone and scrolled through some emails.

“Hey, Poe,” said Rey, a little worried to be caught eavesdropping but too intrigued to let it go. “Why won’t Ben come to the speech?”

Poe didn’t look up from his phone but shook his head. “That punk. I’m sure he’ll be there in the end. He just wants to make his mom sweat. Sometimes I want to punch him for what he puts his mom through.”

“But he’s shown up at other events during the campaign, hasn’t he?”

She tried to picture him in photos she’d seen before joining the campaign, standing darkly behind his mother as she waved to the cameras, towering over her with long black hair and brown eyes to match his mom’s. She had never seen him in person, but had read bits and pieces about his background on Leia’s campaign website and Wikipedia page. Nothing was very detailed. Just that he was thirty years old, had attended Stanford for both undergrad and law school, and now practiced law as a litigator in LA.

She had never had a reason to dislike him until this moment. But every word that she had heard exchanged just now filled her with rage.

“Yes,” said Poe. “Sometimes he comes, and sometimes he doesn’t. Wherever the wind blows him. And here, he’s been treated like a king - by us, by the hotel, by the DNC. And still, he does what he damn well pleases. He floated in to our fundraiser breakfast this morning ten minutes before it ended, despite the fact his firm put it on. Anyway, Amilyn told me that Leia sort of blew up at him after, and now it seems like he’s trying to punish her.” Poe paused, and looked up from his phone, horrified at his mindless ranting. “Obviously, you know that this can’t get out.”

“Of course,” said Rey, nodding. Poe seemed relieved and returned to his phone.

Rey knew she had implicitly been dismissed, but the image of a whiny fully-grown man who fought with his mother about punctuality was infiltrating some subconscious part of her brain, the one she tried to tuck away, the one no university therapist could ever fully heal.

“Do you know where he’s staying?”

Her voice came out in a low tone. It seemed to surprise Poe because he locked his phone and scowled at her.

“What?”

“Do you know where he’s staying?” She managed to adjust her tone to not sound quite so murderous.

“He’s two floors below us, same number,” said Poe. “But we’ve sent three staffers there already today. He won’t open the door.”

Rey spun on her heels before Poe had a chance to tell her she couldn’t go. This was such a stupid idea, but her blood was boiling too hot in her ears to stop now.

 

* * *

 

Rey was lucky to find a finished room service tray in the hallway near Ben’s room, despite it being the odd hours between lunch and dinner. She picked it up, shook her head at the uneaten fries, and attempted to make the tray look new and unused, or at least as much as it needed to be when Ben looked through his door’s fisheye lens.

She found what must be Ben’s room, took a deep breath, and knocked the door.

“Room service!” she called out. She had never ordered room service, but she had seen it done in movies and TV shows, and only hoped it was accurate.

She stayed still as she listened for shuffling on the other side of the door. Eventually she heard the telltale squeak of the security chain sliding across metal and the door opened a smidge.

It was now or never. Using the tray as a wedge, she pushed the door open and stepped right in, crashing right into a wall and knocking the dishes askew.

Only it wasn’t a wall.

“Hey, what –“ The giant man she had smashed into was sputtering but still managed to reach out and prevent the dishes, tray, and Rey herself from tumbling straight to the ground.

Seizing the moment of his confusion, she set the tray on the ground and shut the door behind her.

They were in a bottleneck hallway that led to his spacious suite. She tried to push her way back towards the living area, but the man who must be Ben Solo collected himself and reached out his arms to block her.

His chest breadth and wingspan made it so he reached both walls, completely blocking her path.

“Mind telling me what’s going on?” he asked, eyeing the half-eaten food on the floor before scanning her from feet to face. He was hunched over a bit, but she still had to look up to try to meet his eyes.

She had seen him in various photos and videos, and had always attributed his perceived tall height to the fact that he stood behind his extremely petite mother. But Rey herself was not short and yet he still hovered over her in a way that she was sure he felt like was intimidating.

From inside the suite, a woman’s voice called out.

“What’s taking so long?”

Ben looked back over his shoulder for half a moment, and Rey immediately ducked and slipped right under his arm into the expanse of the living room.

There was a thankfully clothed woman sitting on the couch, mindlessly flipping through the newspaper the hotel delivered every morning. Her suit was sharp, crisp, and expensive, and her hair looked professionally blown out.

She looked up and scowled at Rey.

“I’m sorry, do you need something?” she asked, glaring disdainfully.

Rey was used to other women looking at her like this.

“Yeah, I need you to leave so I can talk to Ben. I’m here on behalf of the campaign.” She reached into her pocket and pulled out her all-access security badge. She flashed it at the woman and then back at Ben.

“Looks like your mom sent another one,” called out the woman. She looked back at Rey. “Ben doesn’t want to talk. You can go now.” She did a little dismissive finger wave with her long nails and returned to her newspaper.

“I think _Ben_ can speak for himself,” said Rey, turning back to see Ben leaning in the hallway, watching everything with a bemused expression. “And by the way, Governor Organa has no idea I’m here.”

Rey spotted a large iPhone in a rose gold case on the coffee table in front of the woman and grabbed it. The woman leaned forward with wide eyes.

“What are you doing, you crazy – ”

Rey wrenched opened the patio door and stepped onto it, dangling the phone over the barrier.

“If you don’t leave, this phone’s going in the pool.”

“Excuse me?” The woman had leaped to her feet. She whipped around to face Ben. “Are you going to stand for this? Call security!”

Rey began a countdown. “5, 4, 3…”

“You wouldn’t dare,” hissed the woman, approaching her like a wild animal.

“Oh, wouldn’t I?” Rey loosened and released her fingers so she was only holding on with her thumb and index finger. “2, 1 and three quarters, 1 and half, 1 and a quarter…”

Ben finally spoke up.

“I think you should go, Baz,” he said. “And you, give her back her phone.”

Rey reluctantly handed the woman her phone, who took it and clutched it to her chest like she had just had her kidnapped baby returned to her.

In the room, Ben picked up the woman’s purse and shoes and held them out. She took them from him, sparing a moment to look viciously back at Rey before schooling her expression and looking up at Ben. She dug in her purse and slid a business card into his white Oxford shirt pocket.

“When you’ve handled all your responsibilities, call me,” she cooed. “I’ll be up late after the convention ends.”

He didn’t say anything, just stood there as she got settled and left the room, stepping over the used room service tray with a loud huff.

Rey walked back in from the balcony.

“You did it, you got in, congratulations,” said Ben. “Now I’m giving you thirty seconds to explain yourself before I actually do call security.”

“Fine, you want to know why I’m here? It’s because you’ve got some nerve,” said Rey, pointing at him threateningly. “Blowing off your own mother.”

“Oh, _I_ have some nerve?” Ben cut her off. “What about the girl who dresses up as hotel staff to break into a guy’s hotel room?”

For a second, Rey was thrown off. “What? I’m not dressed as…” She glanced at her plain black suit and white blouse and back up at Ben, who looked her up and down with a cocked eyebrow. “Oh.”

She had been thrilled to find the suit at a consignment shop, but under Ben’s scrutiny she might as well have been wearing a trash bag.

“So you scavenged a tray of food from, where?”

“The hallway.”

“Gross. And you barged into my room, to tell me I’m letting my mother down. Guess what, Scavenger?” He took a step closer and looked right in her eye. “I’ve heard it all before.”

“Well maybe you need to hear it again, you snobby, entitled prince. I heard about the little stunt you pulled this morning, practically skipping an entire event your own firm threw.”

“Believe me, you don’t know anything about it,” shot back Ben. “But you? Oh, I’ve got you pegged. Let me guess. This is your first campaign. Hmm…” He tapped his chin. “Poly sci major. My mother is your hero and it’s a dream come true for you to be here.” He rolled his eyes and scoffed.

Rey refused to allow his admittedly perfect assessment get to her.

“Yes, she is, and if _I_ had a mother like that, I’d be proud.”

“You know why I know everything about you?” He leaned in even closer, so they were eye level. “Because I’ve met you, hundreds of times. My mom’s been in politics since I was a child. I’ve had a long stream of bright-eyed interns telling me where to be and what to do for my entire life.” He straightened back up. “You’re a newbie, but believe me, this isn’t my first rodeo, sweetheart.”

“Oh, I’m sorry,” said Rey sarcastically. “I wasn’t aware that you had been building up vacation time that allows you to take off the single most important night of your mom’s career. But, I don’t have parents, so maybe I just don’t know how it works.”

He didn’t have a response, and she took the opportunity to continue.

“You don’t know the first thing about me,” she spat out. “I’ve fought and scraped since I was five years old to get here. When I heard that the governor’s man child baby was refusing to talk to his mommy today, thus endangering this entire campaign, I knew I had to do something, even if it meant talking to that prick myself.”

“The cockblocking was just a bonus for you, huh?”

She looked up at him to see a little smirk on his face.

“Is this all a joke to you?”

“Why do you care so much about all this, anyway? You’re British. Don’t you guys have your own screwed up politics to deal with?”

“I left there for school and I am never going back,” she said confidently, even as she thought guiltily about the threatening visa emails she had been getting. “I care about this country, and your mom is the best person for the job. It’s too bad her own son doesn’t agree.”

“Must be nice to have ideals.”

“Must be nice to have none.”

“Oh, it is.”

She threw her hands up in the air. “You are the worst. Seriously, just show up tonight, stand behind your mom for a few minutes, look excited, don’t say a word, give her a hug. That’s all we want. Then you can shack up with what’s-her-face for the rest of the night.”

He smirked again, and plucked the woman’s business card out of his pocket. He walked out on the balcony and flicked it into the air.

“Nah, she wasn’t my type.”

“You’re a child.”

“That was right out of your playbook from five minutes ago.” He winked at her, and came back into the room.

“Who was she, anyway?”

“Curious, are you?” He put his hands on his hips and leaned down to leer at her.

“Guess I was just wondering why it was so important for you to get laid on this day of all days.”

“She’s on of the associates at the Dallas office of my firm. I met her this morning at the breakfast. I was networking.”

“Networking.”

“Yeah.”

“And that’s why you threw her business card out the window.”

“The only contact info I’d need for _work purposes_ is in our directory. In case I need to confer on a case.”

Rey snorted. “Trust me, she wasn’t looking to confer on cases.”

He pulled back to lean easily against the wall and crossed his arms. “You’re awfully interested in this.”

She couldn’t handle the smug look on his face.

“You’re the one who said cockblock…you know what? I can’t take another minute of this. You know where you need to be. Stop being an arse and get there.”

“You know I can take whatever I want, right?”

She looked up at him. His face and postured were unchanged.

“I can get you kicked right off this campaign, Scavenger. There’s no way you’re anyone important. And you know, I could easily get Bazine to back me up on some harassment charges.”

Suddenly, the reality of everything that Rey had said and done came flooding into her conscience. What was she thinking?

“You…you don’t even know my name,” she said, trying to sound confident.

“I told you, I know everything about you.”

She rolled her eyes and turned to get out of the room as fast as she could.

“…Rey.”

She stopped hard before she reached the door.

“Next time you want to stay incognito, don’t wave your personal security badge around.”

Rey broke out of her frozen state and ran out into the hallway, back up to the campaign headquarters.

 

* * *

 

 

“How did you do it?”

Rey was killing time, talking to some of the other staffers before they all needed to move to the arena, when Poe came up and grabbed her by the shoulders.

“What do you mean?” she asked.

“How did you get Ben to come apologize to his mom and start prepping for the evening?”

“H-how do you know it was me?”

“Are there many British Reys running around here? He said you came and reminded him he needed to be at Leia’s prep meeting. But I know him. It couldn’t have just been a ‘reminder.’”

“Oh, um, we just had a little chat in his hotel room.” Rey was flustered. How much had Ben shared about their encounter? But Poe didn’t look upset. He looked thrilled.

“Rey, I promised you I’d find you a full-time position on this campaign. And I _think_ we just found one.”


	2. July Part II

“No way.”

“Rey, you need to think about this. This is a huge opportunity.”

Rey and Poe were walking together to the American Airlines Center to watch the end of the Democratic National Convention and Governor Organa’s speech. Or rather, Rey was stomping and Poe was speed walking to keep up.

“I don’t ever want to speak to Ben Solo again in my life, much less everyday.”

“Yeah, I get it, the guy’s a dick, but hear me out here. As his assistant – ”

“You mean his babysitter.”

“Potato, potahto.” Poe grabbed her arm. “Rey, as his personal assistant on the campaign you’d have an ‘in’ with the family that people can only dream of. When Leia wins the presidency – ”

“If.”

“ _When_ Leia wins the presidency, Ben will be the First Kid or maybe even fill the role of First Lady or whatever they’ll call it and you’ll have spent months with him and Leia. That will open up all kinds of doors for you come January. You can’t pass up on that, no matter what you’ll be doing for the next few months.”

“And what exactly would I be doing? Following him around and trying to get him to care? Forcing him to go to things? Dealing with his attitude 24/7?”

“Look, Rey, it’s perfect. He lives in LA, you live in LA. We’re trying to convince him to get on the campus tour circuit this fall, so you’d do lots of traveling. I’m sure you could even help him with his speeches. It wouldn’t just be getting him coffee.”

Rey paused at a red crosswalk sign and turned to Poe.

“What makes you think he would even be on board with this? He wasn’t exactly kind to me.”

“I’ve been involved in the campaign for more than a year now. I’ve seen his tantrums, the way he forgets every single staffer’s name on purpose. But when he came up and talked to his mom, mentioned you by name, even asked about you? I don’t know what you did, but something worked.”

The crosswalk sign chirped and Poe and Rey resumed walking.

“Look, that may be, but I have to admit. I wasn’t, err, nice to him either. I’m not sure we’ve started on the right foot.”

Poe looked over at her with a wry smile. “Who, _you_? Why do you think I loved you as a TA? I had students come in and cry about grades you gave them on their papers. And they were always deserved. When Ben came in this afternoon with his tail behind his legs, I knew my girl Rey must have stuck it to him.” He patted her on the shoulder. “Maybe that’s just what the guy has needed all along.”

They finally reached the arena.

“K, Rey, I’ve got to get to Amilyn. We’ll talk soon. Think hard about this, Rey. The offer won’t be around forever.” He waved and then disappeared to some doors that were heavily flanked with security.

Rey pulled out her phone to text her friend Rose, whom she planned to sit with during the evening. Once she found Rose in the crowd, Rey was grateful for a few minutes in between speakers before the music got too loud and they wouldn’t be able to hear each other anymore. It was hard enough already.

“I had an interesting afternoon,” Rey said, leaning in to practically yell in Rose’s ear.

“Were you at the headquarters?”

“Yeah. I even met the governor.”

“Wow, you did? You’re so lucky you have access to all that. I’ve just been watching all these lame speakers all day, and I’m sure I’ll be knocking on doors or manning phones until November.”

“About that…” Rey’s voice dropped as she tried to figure out how to explain everything without seeming ungrateful.

“What?”

“I met Ben Solo.”

Rose’s brows furrowed. “Ben Solo?” Her eyes widened. “Wait, Ben Solo? You mean Leia’s son?”

Rey nodded.

“Really? What was he like? Was he as sexy as his pictures?” Rose’s curls bounced as she grew in excitement.

“K, weird that you’re more interested in hearing about him than you were when I told you I met Leia herself. But…” Rey paused. “He’s an absolute prick.”

“No!”

“I’m telling you. Class-A jerk.”

“I can’t believe that such perfect hair is wasted on someone so undeserving!” Rose went from eager Labrador puppy to raging bulldog in seconds.

For the first time in hours, Rey started laughing. It felt good, like a release of all the pressure she had built inside since the moment she found had overheard Leia and Amilyn talking about him.

“You’re right,” cried Rey. “It’s a bloody shame is what it is!” She fisted some of her wavy shoulder-length brown hair that had struggled all day in the Texas heat. “I mean, I’m nice, and this is what the universe rewards me with?”

The girls giggled together until the lights and music indicated that the night’s headline programming was beginning. They cheered through a couple of A-list pop stars’ performances and then the arena grew quieter as President Ackbar took the stage to introduce his hopeful successor.

Rey tried to listen as Ackbar talked at length about his old friend. He recounted Leia’s early years as a college rebel rouser who led her campus political groups, as Leia threw her head back in laughter behind him. Then he moved on to her rise through City of Los Angeles politics, then the state legislature, and finally as governor of California. He had a moment of silence for her parents, the late Senator Bail Organa and his wife Breha, who had famously been killed in a terrorist attack when Leia was in school, and then for Leia’s late husband Han Solo, who had been killed a number of years before in a plane crash.

Throughout all of this, Ackbar expertly weaved his own policies and hope for America, and how a win for Leia would preserve his achievements. The crowd was wild for him. There was a reason he was finishing his second term in office.

Rey kept her eyes on the jumbotron while he spoke, fascinated with the glimpses of Ben the camera caught. For as large as he was, he managed to mostly remain out of sight, standing in the back of a small group around Leia.

She couldn’t help but suspect that it was a skill he had cultivated over many years.

“And this brings us to Leia’s finest achievement, her role as a mother,” said Ackbar. “Her son Ben is truly her joy. So many times I’d engage Leia in some sort of political discussion, only for her to turn it into a conversation about Ben’s major, or his school swimming team, or whether she should buy him a puppy. Apparently that was a big deal in their home.”

The crowd laughed as they showed a beaming Leia and an impassive Ben. At least he had scooted closer to her for this portion.

He was so much taller than her, it was almost comical.

“Ben, I don’t know if you ever got that puppy, but your mom will be giving you and the whole nation something much better. Freedom, equal rights, economic opportunity…”

Blah, blah. Rey tuned out Ackbar’s political, pandering words and tried to refocus on Ben, who had somehow made his body vanish into the background again.

“And now, I present to you, Leia Organa, former Governor of California, and the Democratic Party’s Official Nominee for President of the United States!”

Finally, Rey was engaged with the crowd. She jumped to her feet and cheered and whooped and hollered until Leia managed to calm everyone down so she could begin.

When Leia began speaking, all thoughts of Ben disappeared from Rey’s mind. Leia was magnificent and poised as she spoke of her dreams for America.

“When I was a little girl,” she eventually said, “I once asked my dad why my mom wasn’t a senator too.” Rey chuckled with the crowd. “He told me that when I was a grown up he hoped that there would be lots of women senators, and even a woman president. I hope the little girls of America will be watching as two women debate each other over the next month. I hope the little girls of America know how special it is that whether or not I win in November, _there will be a woman in the White House come January_.”

The crowd screamed and cheered. When everyone died down, Leia began thanking those in her circle, Amilyn, as well as a few others.

“And most importantly, my son Ben. You may be a man now, but you’ll always be my little boy.”

Everyone aww’d as Ben stepped forward and diligently kissed his mom on the head. He took a tiny step back and stood right behind her as she wrapped up her speech.

“This has been a long, hard primary. I’ve gone against many qualified candidates for our party, and I am proud to be the one who stands here tonight as the party’s nominee. But tonight is not an ending. It is a beginning. And we will fight, from now until November, and far, far beyond, to secure the kind of America we all want to see.

“This campaign has always been about hope. Hope for our future. Hope for our children. In times of darkness, we may begin to lose that light, that little flicker that keeps us going. But I’ve always said, hope is like the sun. If you only believe it when you see it, you'll never make it through the night.

“All of us here, everyone watching from around the world, all of us together, _we_ are the spark, that’ll light the fire, that will strengthen this great nation for ours and generations to come.”

The arena was filled with balloons and streamers falling from the ceiling as “Girl on Fire” by Alicia Keys played. It was so noisy that Rey could barely hear Rose as she said something to her.

“What?”

“I said, let’s go get drunk!”

Oh, right. Rose had tried to get her to join the other interns in bar hopping all week, but Rey had always said she needed to stay sharp. But tonight she was out of excuses. Her flight back to LA wasn’t until noon the next day.

Rey winced as she thought of her expenses this trip.

“I don’t have a lot of cash,” she admitted to Rose, her voice sheepish even as she had to yell over the commotion.

“That’s what the guys are for,” said Rose, tugging on her arm. “You’re cute, you’ll be fine. Let’s go!”

Rey stalled for one more moment as she looked down at the scene on the floor of the arena. Leia was being embraced by dozens of people, one after another. Ben was nowhere to be seen.

“All right,” said Rey. “I’m in.”

Rose had correctly predicted that the bars would be full of eager young men on their last night of the convention. Rey disappointed more than one of them when they figured out that she wasn’t willing to be their last thrill before they had to return home.

She couldn’t help but note how they’d pompously extol Governor Organa’s virtues as a feminist icon over their drinks, and then act like Rey had led them on for a free drink and then wouldn’t put out.

Like she owed them.

Still, she listened politely as this parade of puffed up men bragged about their roles in the campaign, like they were reading off their Linkedin pages.

She was quickly able to deduce that the “Campaign Communications Specialist” stuffed envelopes and made robocalls.

And that the “Presidential Campaign Data Analyst” handed out exit surveys at polling locations.

After her final drink with the former president of Brown University College Democrats, she was ready to call it a night. She found Rose, who mercifully both agreed to leave and to cover their Uber.

Rose fell asleep almost immediately in the car, but Rey’s head was swimming with the events of the evening.

She thought about the hapless, hopeful interns she had been interacting with all night, dreaming of making any sort of difference in this enormous campaign, drowning in a sea of nationwide interns, filling headquarters in every state.

_As his personal assistant on the campaign you’d have an ‘in’ with the family that people can only dream of._

Poe wasn’t wrong.

It was really the chance of a lifetime.

She pulled out her phone and opened the Google homepage. She typed “Ben Solo” into the search bar and watched as dozens of fresh news headlines poured in. Apparently the few hours she had spent bar hopping had been enough for the 24-hour news cycle and the clickbait machines to churn.

_Five Things to Know About Leia Organa’s Son, Ben Solo_

_Ben Solo Gave His Mother Leia Organa the Sweetest Kiss During Her Speech_

_Who is Ben Solo, Governor Organa’s Son?_

_Twitter Can’t Decide if Ben Organa Solo is Hot or Not_

_I’m Thirsty for Ben Solo, and I Don’t Care Who Knows_

_Meet America’s New Most Eligible Bachelor, Ben Solo_

_What will Ben Solo’s Role in the White House be if his Mother is Elected?_

_The Internet Wants to Know if Ben Organa Solo Ever Got a Puppy_

She clicked out of her browser. It was the wee hours of the morning, but that didn’t stop her from opening her messages and finding Poe’s name. She double and triple checked her text to make sure that her inebriated mind hadn’t mis-typed something so simple.

Then she pressed send and allowed her eyes to close.

< To Poe: **I’ll do it** >

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I promise, there will be lots of Ben soon!


	3. August Part I

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HUGE apology for the long wait and a big thank you for your patience! I spent a very busy summer traveling and making memories with my kids before my oldest started all-day school for the first time. Meanwhile, I greedily read everyone else's fics at every park, splash pad, pool, museum, and zoo in our city.
> 
> Everything has calmed down now and I am hitting this story hard! I'm excited to share the rest of it with you!

Google Maps always estimated the walk from the UCLA dorms to Governor Organa’s LA office would take 1 hour 3 minutes. It usually took Rey more like 1 hour 20 minutes. At least she got a lot of steps on the hand-me-down Fitbit she had gotten the year before when one of her residents ditched hers for an Apple Watch.

It wasn’t worth bothering with the bus when she’d have to transfer and it would take almost as long as walking.

Still, she was blessed to live so close to the campaign headquarters, if only for a few more weeks, whereupon she’d graduate and lose her Resident Assistant job and housing.

After that, well, she’d just have to cross that bridge when she came to it.

Maybe Poe would let her sleep at the office. Or she could ask Rose if she could stay on her couch for a while. Were they good enough friends for that?

She didn’t have a lot of friends to rely on. Either her fellow students hated her because she was their RA, or they hated her because she was their TA, or they were indifferent towards her because she didn’t have a lot of time or money to go out. Those in the third category, usually acquaintances in her major, seemed to always follow a similar pattern. They’d buddy up with her at the start because she was British, and that was cool. And then they’d figure out quickly that she wasn’t cool at all, and move on.

Of course the best friend she’d leave college with would be her old professor employer.

“Rey!” called out the man himself when she finally reached the headquarters. “Did you enjoy your weekend back?”

“Yeah, I caught up on some sleep and homework,” she responded as she followed him into his office. It was only 9 AM, but the entire place was buzzing with action and noise. Poe closed the door.

“You see out there?” He pointed out his glass door. “There’s about a zillion interns stuffing envelopes now that we have our official nomination. I was glad to see you agreed to my proposal. It’s the best way I have to keep you from being one of them.”

“Are we going to discuss what you expect this role to entail?”

They had texted a little bit over the weekend since leaving the convention, but not much more than a few housekeeping items.

“Yes,” said Poe. “I have some general ideas, as well as some from Amilyn and Leia.”

“They know about this?”

“Yes, and they think it’s great.”

Rey doubted they could recall anything about her, or even her face, but just the thought that they had talked about her made her inwardly puff up with pride.

Maybe Poe was right. Dealing with His Royal Highness just might be worth it for this kind of in.

“Wait,” she said. “What about Ben? What did he say?”

Poe looked a little sheepish. “I, uh, don’t know. Leia said she’d talk to him.”

“So we don’t even know if he’s on board with this.” She frowned. “I may not even have this job. You said you’d take care of this.” Her voice came dangerously close to a squeak.

Poe waved his hand absently. “It’ll be fine. Let’s talk about your role.” He opened his laptop and got down to business.

 

* * *

 

 

Rey doubled checked the apartment number on her phone’s texts before raising her hand to knock. The ride over had been the standard hell of a Monday in LA traffic, but Rey couldn’t complain about an air conditioned car and an Uber driver who stayed mostly silent.

After Poe had run through some information with her that morning, he had proclaimed that the best thing would be for her to go to Ben’s apartment and start working from there.

Apparently, everyone would be happier if Ben just stayed away from the headquarters.

It was convenient for all but her.

The downtown high-rise complex she now found herself in was very nice. She didn’t know much about Ben other than that he was a lawyer, but based on what she saw, she figured he must be a somewhat successful one. Or maybe he had some help from his mom’s money.

She wouldn’t know anything about that.

Did he have a roommate? Maybe more than one? Girlfriend? Based on his behavior in Dallas, she doubted the last one, but then again he might have just been a skeaze enjoying a few days away.

It seemed like the sort of thing he would do.

Shaking her head, she cracked her knuckles, and gave the door a few sharp knocks. It seemed odd to her that he would be home during the day on a Monday, but Poe had seemed pretty confident that she would be fine.

He had said that more than a few times that morning, that she’d be “fine.” Instead of making her feel better, it made her feel like he was eager to wash his hands of the affair and make it her problem.

That was fair, she supposed. After all, that was why they were paying her. And the pay scale that Poe had presented in their meeting wasn’t great, but it wasn’t terrible either.

No one answered the door.

She knocked again, louder and longer. She had paid for an Uber. An expense she’d send straight to the campaign, of course, but still, Ben had better open up.

Rey was considering her options when she heard some shuffling on the other side of the door.

A muffled man’s voice, presumably Ben’s, came through the closed door.

“I’m not doing interviews,” he called out. “Leave now or I call the Secret Service.”

She knocked again and yelled, “I’m not here for an interview. It’s Rey…again. I’m here for our meeting.”

There was a pause before she heard the door unlock and open.

“ _You_?” He stared at her. “What are _you_ doing here?”

His incredulity gave her a moment to look him up and down. She had never seen him out of a suit before. He stood still, scowling viciously at her, with bare feet and mussed up hair, in black pajama pants and a faded tshirt.

“Were you asleep?” she asked. “It’s _noon._ ”

“Don’t see how that’s any of your business. Bold of you to come here when I could still report you for your last incident.”

“Poe Dameron told me to come,” she said as confidently she could. “He gave me your address. We have work to do.” He didn’t move. She tilted her head and gestured in the door. “Can I come in?”

Without waiting for an answer, she pushed her way in. Thankfully, he automatically cleared a tiny path for her.

“You’re really making a habit of this,” he muttered.

She shut the door and looked around the living room, and then let her gaze move significantly to the hallway. “Was this a private lie-in, or is there another _colleague_ I have to kick out? Someone you were conferring on cases with until the wee hours of the night?”

He blinked at her, eyebrows knitted.

“I’m still waiting to hear what you’re doing here,” he said, ignoring her question. “I showed up at my mom’s speech. I acted the diligent son, did the whole dog and pony show. I think we’re done.”

“Your mom didn’t tell you?”

“Tell me what?”

She took a breath and steadied her voice. “I’m your new assistant.”

Time froze as the man in front of her seemed incapable of movement, or even facial expressions of any kind.

She rushed on. “I’m just going to help you with your responsibilities on the campaign. I’ll help with your speeches, your social media accounts, everything. I’ll be there every step of the way, on all your travels. It’ll be great, I’ll be there for all of your needs…” Her faux bright voice trailed off as she watched Ben seem to wake up. Eventually, he even managed to speak.

“And apparently I had no say in the matter. Typical.” He spit out the last word.

“Poe said that your mother was going to talk to you about it.”

“He must assume that my mom and I talk a lot more than we do. Or ever at all, for that matter.” He crossed his arms in the same petulant stance that she had seen his mom do only a few days earlier.

Rey rolled her eyes.

“Right, it’s very difficult in this modern area to communicate. Maybe the carrier pigeon she sent to tell you about me is still on its way.”

“Don’t see why you’re blaming me for this.”

“Maybe if you ever picked up your phone,” she said angrily. “I’ve heard enough about you to gather that you’re not exactly sitting around waiting eagerly to be there for your mom.”

“You don’t know a thing about it. Or me.”

“No, I don’t, “ she admitted, “but I’m gonna. Like it or not, we’re stuck together for the next while. Trust me, babysitting your pampered arse was not my first choice for my role in this campaign.”

He sighed and collapsed onto his couch. Rey took that as a sign of resignation and cautiously stepped forward to sit on the armchair opposite him. He didn’t move, so she went further and pulled her laptop out of her backpack.

“K, let’s talk schedule,” she said as she waited for her laptop to boot up. “Your campus tour starts--”

“What the hell is that?” cut in Ben, staring horrified at her lap.

“My computer?”

“I’m pretty sure I had that model in middle school.”

“Which is probably now in a landfill, destroying our planet, while this guy-” she slapped the side – “is hanging in there, with a few tweaks and a fresh battery.”

“You better never have it out in public,” he said. “I’ll be embarrassed to be seen with it. Do you have a flip phone too?”

“No,” she shot back. He didn’t need to know that her refurbished iPhone was so many versions behind that the IOS wouldn’t update anymore. “None of this matters anyway, you snob. Outdated tech or not, I assure you that my brain works at full function.”

He rolled his eyes and sank back into his cushions, gesturing for her to continue.

“Ok, so anyway, I need to know your schedule. We need to start meeting regularly to get your speeches prepared, make sure you attend events, and so forth.”

“Obviously, I’m pretty open.” As he said that, he reached over and picked up a video game controller. The large tv screen near them opened to an Xbox home screen. He flipped through game selections.

“Can you turn that off?”

Ben’s eyes didn’t leave the screen. “I’ve got the volume down.”

She was annoyed, but pressed on. “Yeah, I was actually wondering about that. How are you home on a Monday afternoon?”

“I’m on leave,” he responded absently, now having settled in to a shooting game.

“What kind of leave?”

“The kind your law firm puts you on to focus on your mom’s campaign. It’s good for their image to have a president’s kid.”

“Are they still paying you?”

“Yup.” His fingers smashed the controller buttons.

“Are they aware you’re sleeping until noon and playing _Silencer_ all afternoon?”

At that, he glanced over at her. “You know this game?”

“I’ve been the RA in a freshman dorm for the past three years,” she said. “I have some hope that the boys playing it all day in our common room will outgrow that behavior by the time they’re thirty.”

“Ah, you’re an RA,” he said, ignoring her dig. His eyes were back on the screen, but his mouth was smirking. “I’m not surprised. You seem the type.”

“What, poor?”

“Bitchy.”

She narrowed her eyes. “Only to the punks who ask for it.”

His cocky little grin only grew.

“I’m not surprised that you had bad experiences with your RAs,” she continued. “God help them.”

“Eh, no one bothered me at school. Governor’s son and all that.” He turned and winked at her.

“You’re clearly so appreciative of that.”

He shrugged and they both fell into silence as he shot a Resistance trooper in the back.

“You would choose to play for the First Order,” said Rey. “You’re certainly evil enough.”

“Few more kills and I’ll make Supreme Leader,” he said unapologetically. He gritted his teeth and leaned forward, slamming his giant fingers against the small buttons with practiced skill. “I’ve been working on this campaign for months.”

Fed up, Rey stood and yanked the tv cord out of the wall.

Ben threw the controller next to him and cursed loudly at her.

“It’s good to know there’s at least _one_ campaign you care about!” she yelled back. “Look, I don’t want to be here, you don’t want me to be here. Focus for one hour and maybe we can cover enough ground for me to leave.”

“Fine,” he sighed, pulling his phone out of his pocket. “But let me order some food first.”

“I guess I can allow you to eat ‘breakfast.’”

He snickered. “You know, a good assistant would have just brought it for me.”

“You would eat food that I brought you? That’s very brave. You know, a dead son would sure garner a candidate a lot of sympathy right before an election.”

“I’ll always have you take a bite first.” He looked up from his phone. “You want anything?”

He threw her off for a second. “Oh, um…” She thought of her pitiful finances and decided could make it without eating until she returned to the dorms. “I, uh, ate on the way,” she lied.

He grunted in response and she waited for him to finish ordered. After a few minutes, she leaned over.

“You done yet?”

“With what?”

“Ordering.”

“Oh yeah, I’ve been done for a while.” He looked up at her. “What? You can talk.”

She didn’t say anything, and finally, he sighed and locked his phone.

“Okay,” Rey said brightly. “Our first event is a dinner in San Diego on Thursday.” She went to open her email for some information Poe sent, and paused. “Wait, can you give me your wifi?”

He scoffed. “You barge into my home, and now you need my wifi password?”

“I’m not going to hack your porn; I just need to access my email.”

“Are you sure that monstrosity can handle it?” He looked at her laptop. “That thing is going to combust at any moment. It could set my apartment on fire. We’re on the twelfth floor. No way we’d survive, and I refuse to allow my final moments on earth to be…this.”

“Cut the drama and just give it to me.” She scanned the available wireless options. “Ooh, please tell me it’s ‘Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Lan.’”

“Sorry to disappoint.”

“Of course, you could never been that fun.”

“Picking stupid wifi names does not make you _fun_. And mine is ‘Damaged Network.’”

“Wow, you really are paranoid about people accessing,” she said, clicking on it. “But I doubt you’re fooling anyone.”

He rolled his eyes and rattled off the password.

Now equipped with admittedly excellent wifi, Rey read off a list of the presumed guests of the fundraiser until they heard a knock on the door.

Ben jumped up. “Saved by the bell.” He opened the door and handed the delivery boy some cash in exchange for his food.

“That was a nice tip,” remarked Rey after Ben had sat down with his food.

Ben raised his eyebrows at her apparent surprise. “I may be an asshole, but don’t assume I’m a cheap asshole.”

She giggled in spite of herself. “Well, let’s hope all your delivery boys have prominent twitter accounts.”

He shook his head, but the corner of his mouth turned up.

They were silent as Ben ate his food. Rey took the time to send Poe a quick update email. It was more than he deserved, having thrown her under the bus, but she supposed she still owed him for the job in the first place.

At the sound of Ben crumpling up and throwing away his containers, Rey reopened her fundraiser information.

“Okay, now that we know who’s coming, let’s talk about your speech.”

“My speech?”

“Yes, of course. You’ll be there on behalf of your mom. They’ll be expecting something.”

Ben groaned loudly and flopped back on the cushions.

“It’s not enough I have to schmooze all these donors one-on-one, when I’d rather stab my eye out with a fork, but I have to spout a bunch of political garbage.”

“Hey, I wish I had a platform like yours!”

“I’m sure you do.” He sat back up and glared at her. “You think you’d change the world. Guess what. You can’t.”

She slammed her laptop shut. “Change has to start somewhere, you know. At least your mom is trying. Least you can do is help.”

“You’ve got that look in your eye, from the hotel room, like I’m a monster,” he said, leaning in, challenging her. “I just speak the truth, unlike all of these politicians you so love.”

“You are a monster if you would rather see the world fall apart than take action.”

“And my mom will take action?”

“Yes.”

“Everything my mom says, even that speech last week, is crap. All that about hope and change and light?” He shook his head and laughed bitterly. “Trust me, when she’s off-camera, my mom’s more cynical than I am.”

“Not possible,” hissed Rey. They were getting nowhere. “Look, you just have to say a few words. It will be fast. I’m sure they’ll be there to see Senator Antilles anyway.”

“Ah, the new running mate,” said Ben. “That’ll make all the old white men there happy. That’s why they picked him.”

Rey crossed her arms. “They picked him for his foreign policy experience.”

“Like hell they did.”

“It makes sense with your mom’s experience being in state politics,” retorted Rey. “It rounds her out. It’s an effective strategy.”

“It’s just pandering,” said Ben, stretching lazily. “The nation’s old men have it rough in the voting booth this election. Two women running against each other. But hey, voters are voters. Gotta scoop ‘em all up, misogynists and all.”

“That’s a horrible way to see it.”

“You may be a poly sci major, but you’ve got a lot to learn about politics, sweetheart.” He pulled his phone back out, like he had won their argument and was done talking. Rey wanted to chuck the thing at the wall.

“Do not call me sweetheart,” she snarled instead, which he ignored. She noisily opened up her laptop again. “ _Okay_ , I guess I’ll sit here and write your speech with no input or help whatsoever.”

“That sounds perfect.”

“Argggh, that’s when you’re supposed to step up.”

“Hey, you’re the one who wants a career in politics instead of having one thrust upon you,” said Ben, looking up at her. “Plus I don’t think you’d want my input.”

He had a point.

“Fine, I’ll do it.”

“I will show up and recite whatever you give me, but know now I won’t mean a word of it.”

She glared at him over her laptop screen. “You are more immature than my freshmen, and believe me, that is saying a lot.”

Ben stood up and continued his stretching. “Whatever. I’m taking a shower. Enjoy the speechwriting.” He grabbed his phone and left the room.

November couldn’t come soon enough.


	4. August Part II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey and Ben attend their first fundraising event together

Riding LA public transportation wasn’t on Rey’s list of her top favorite things to do. The infrastructure was terrible, the rides long, and the environment smelly and sticky.

On this particularly hot day, Rey ungracefully disembarked a sweltering bus with bags in each hand, a couple blocks from Ben’s apartment building.

Days earlier, Ben had about fallen off the couch when she told him she didn’t have a car.

“How do you live in LA without a car?” he had exclaimed.

The truth was, she had never really had any reason to go far from campus the whole four years she had lived in the states. Her dorm was there, her school was there, and her jobs were there. She wasn’t exactly spending her weekends at the beach.

Now she could add transportation to the growing list of issues she’d be facing upon graduation.

Of course, the incredulous Ben still couldn’t be bothered to pick her up before their trip to San Diego that day. _Too far out of the way_ , he had whined.

It was just as well, though. At least with her coming to meet him at home, she could make sure he actually went. That was her job, after all.

She hadn’t seen him since their first meeting. They had made plans for their trip to the San Diego fundraiser and then she had had to get back to the dorms. The past couple days she had class and office hours and wasn’t able to leave campus.

Approaching his apartment, she hoped he was ready. She was anxious to get on I-5 before the afternoon traffic really ramped up.

She had texted him plenty of reminders. The texts had “delivered.”

Whether he had read them was another story.

She didn’t have to wait as long for him to open his door this time. He didn’t seem happy to see her, but at least he was wearing something that didn’t look like pajamas and his hair was only sticking up in a few places, instead of all over.

“You all ready to go?” she asked, scanning the room for any packed bag. Wishful thinking. “I figured if we get down there, we can change at the hotel. I’ve got your suit here.” She held up the garment bag she brought. She had taken a suit and shirt from him on Monday to be cleaned, not trusting him with the simplest tasks.

“Gimme me a sec,” he replied, meandering back into his hallway.

His “sec” ended up being a half hour, time that Rey filled tapping her foot and precariously draining her phone battery, battery that could be better used to avoid a certain road trip companion. He may have a car charger, she thought, but it probably wouldn’t fit her old model phone.

He finally emerged with a fancy roller suitcase that made Rey’s worn duffel bag look a little sad and led her out and into the elevator.

They found his car in the parking garage, a sleek black SUV.

“It sure is nice knowing we’ll have this for all the off-roading we’ll do in Southern California,” remarked Rey drily.

He stopped loading their bags into the trunk and looked at her. “I’m tall.”

“I’m pretty sure that’s why they invented the seat sliding back function.”

He rolled his eyes and clicked a button to close his trunk.

“All right Little Miss Woke, how about we take your car then, huh?”

“I respect the environment and take public transportation like a responsible citizen,” she said haughtily.

He laughed outright at that. “Public transportation in this city is utter garbage, and we both know it.” They climbed in and he started the engine. “This is a crossover. I think you can handle it for a few hours. If you want, you can be our look out for judgmental stares coming from other cars. Your seat lowers pretty far; you can duck.”

“What about you?”

“I’m not ashamed. And I’d rather not be seen with you anyway. People might get ideas.” He looked over at her and waggled his eyebrows.

“Sorry the idea is so abhorrent to you.”

He huffed a laugh. “I’d prefer not to date someone who judges every single one of my life decisions,” he said.

“I’m sure you’d like a girl who worships at your feet and enables your pathetic, selfish lifestyle,” she replied. “Good luck to you, and hoo boy, good luck to her.”

She leaned back and put her feet on the dashboard.

“Hey, get those off,” he said, reaching out his freakishly long arm to swipe off her feet.

“Yeah, yeah, I know, the airbags.”

He looked over at her. “You’ll get dirt on my dash.”

“Ah, right. For a half second there I thought you were concerned for my life.” She looked around her. “What kind of idiot picks a black interior in California, anyway?”

He patted his steering wheel affectionately. “I have seat coolers.”

“ _Seat coolers?_ That sounds incredibly wasteful.”

“They’re pretty great, actually.” They pulled to a stoplight and he tapped a few controls. “There, I turned it on for you. It’s hot as balls out there. Live a little.”

“I _live._ ”

“You know,” he continued, ignoring her, “I’d be very interested to see the wasteful cars of the people we’re schmoozing tonight. Or maybe crack open a few hidden files of their gas and oil companies and see what lakes they’re pouring toxins into.” He lowered his voice dramatically. “Think of the poor dead fishies.”

“We want people with influence on our side,” she said. “These guests have power to make responsible decisions with major trickle-down effect.”

“No, they want Washington on _their_ side so they can manipulate the system and get away with more in the end. More pollution, more securities fraud, you name it.”

“All right, Wise One, if the world is so terrible, why aren’t you more motivated to do something about it?”

He shrugged. “I hate hypocrites. My mom accepting these people’s money is hypocritical. I don’t care how you frame it.”

Abruptly changing the subject, he unlocked his phone with one hand and tossed it at her.

“Check the map. See how the traffic is looking.”

She took his lead and opened his maps app, plugging in their hotel.

“It’s mostly blue through I-5,” she said. “For now.”

“Good.” He nodded. “What do you want to listen to? You can open Spotify.”

“I like NPR.”

He snorted. “No you don’t.”

“Yes I do!”

“No one actually _likes_ NPR. They just like telling people they do.”

She grinned. “I am subjecting you to one full hour of NPR for that. You’ll be hooked. Or if you hate every minute of it, that’s even better.”

She leaned forward to fiddle with his radio. After a few minutes, she gave up and leaned back, defeated. She refused to look at him. She knew he had been watching all her efforts out of the corner of his eye with a little smirk on his lips.

“I can’t figure out your stupid space age system,” she admitted grumpily.

“Well, that’s just too bad,” he said. “Guess I’ll just choose, then.” He reached over, presumably to take his phone back.

Childishly, she tossed it into the backseat. He glanced up at the rearview mirror, eyebrows raised.

“You’re not supposed to look at your phone while you’re driving,” she said. “I’d like to survive to see your mom as president.”

“Yikes, that is truly sad if that is what you have to live for. But lucky for me, I don’t need my phone.” He tapped something on the navigation screen, beginning some playlist. “Space age system, one, public radio, zero.”

She huffed and reached into her backpack, pulling out a textbook. She turned her back to him as much as she could manage with the seatbelt and started reading.

He didn’t take her hint.

“Studying, huh?”

She glared at him.

“I’m trying to.” She closed the book on her finger. “I like to spend my time in productive ways. Speaking of, did you manage to make Supreme Leader?”

“I did,” he said. “So I’m feeling very accomplished.” He looked over at her book. “ _Gender and Society?_ Sounds fascinating.”

“It is. I’m a Gender Studies minor.”

“Of course you are.” He shook his head. “You check so many boxes it’s not even fun for me to figure you out.”

“I could say the same about you,” she shot back. “I keep hoping you’ll surprise me but you’ve done nothing but infuriate me since the first moment I met you.”

“I live to serve,” he said, and then paused. “But I bet you can’t guess what my major was.”

She tried to think back on stuff she had read about him on the Internet. Nothing she could recall mentioned his college experience outside of him going to Stanford. Finally, she took a stab.

“Economics.”

“Nope,” he said. “I took one econ class and hated it. It was comparative literature.”

“Nuh-uh.”

“Yep.” He looked immensely satisfied. “And you said I couldn’t surprise you.”

“How about you surprise me by acting like a grownup at our event,” she said. “Or better yet, by just leaving me alone for five minutes. That would shock me.”

She yanked open her book again, stuck her feet on the dashboard, and buried her face in her reading.

He turned up the music. She put in her headphones.

Eventually, they passed a large road sign that indicated how many miles until San Diego.

They both sighed.

 

* * *

 

Hours later, cleaned up and wearing a black dress, Rey went to retrieve Ben from his hotel room for their event. The majority of their drive had passed in silence, as Rey studied and Ben tapped on his steering wheel impatiently every time he saw as much as one brake light ahead of him.

He had barely said a word to her as they checked into the hotel, and disappeared as soon as he got his key.

He opened his door when she knocked and she was pleased to see he was already dressed in his suit, freshly shaven and hair styled.

He looked her up and down.

“You look nice,” he said.

Taken aback, she sputtered out a thank you. The day before, she had sent out an email to all the girls on her floor asking if anyone had a cocktail dress she could borrow. Thankfully, a sophomore had taken pity on her plea and lent this to her.

She’d need to get some nice clothes if she kept attending events with Ben. Maybe she could talk to Poe about it. More likely she just needed to grit her teeth and spend some of her meager savings that could be better used on an immigration lawyer, or you know, an apartment.

“I’m glad you have something that doesn’t look like you pulled it from a dumpster,” he continued.

She groaned and pushed him out of the door. “Let’s go, you prick.”

They didn’t have far to drive to the swanky estate where the fundraiser was being held. Rey quizzed Ben on his talking points and his speech as they went.

“I’d really like to have some sort of a picture with you and Senator Antilles,” she said. “You gained some Twitter followers after the convention, but it’s leveled out. If we can get both your mom and Antilles to retweet you, it’ll draw tons of traffic to your account.”

“You mean your account,” he said. “I want nothing to do with it.”

“Fine, whatever.” She checked the phone navigation. “Turn right here.”

They followed some other fancy cars into a large circular driveway. A valet came and took their keys from them. Rey could see Secret Service detail everywhere, for Senator Antilles.

“Can’t wait for this to be my entire life if my mom wins,” Ben muttered as they were checked over by a couple agents.

As they walked into the enormous entryway, Ben turned to her. “Have you ever been to one of these before?”

“No,” she admitted.

“I’ve been going to these my entire life,” he said, looking around until he spotted a man holding a tray of champagne. He waved him over. “They never stop sucking.”

Not one minute went by before Ben got accosted by a couple of men. She watched as he was subjected to chummy back slaps and hand shakes. His smile was tight, but he greeted all of them.

For now, her work was mostly done. She hung back near a back wall as she watched Ben, just to monitor his behavior. He seemed to be doing his job, as much as she knew it pained him.

She was nibbling on an appetizer some waiter had offered her when a man came up beside her.

“Haven’t seen you at one of these before,” he said.

She took him in. He was young, maybe just a couple years older than her, and cute.

“No, this is my first event. I’m with the campaign,” she said, gesturing out in Ben’s direction.

“Ah,” he said. He stuck out his hand. “I’m Ryan.”

She accepted his hand. “Rey.”

“Bunch of stiffs out there, eh?” He looked out at the nearly all male crowd.

She laughed. “Aren’t you one of them?”

Cocking an eyebrow, he answered. “No, I just work for them.”

“So you’ll be one of them someday.” She winked at him and he grinned.

“Nah,” he said. “I’m trying to start my own company. Break out of this world.”

He told her about some of his plans, and asked her a bit about her. They were swapping TA-ing horror stories when Ben came up.

“I think they’re about to seat for dinner,” said Ben.

“K…” Rey frowned at him. “You know I don’t have a dinner ticket.”

“We should probably review my speech.”

“Okay.” She turned to Ryan, who was looking at them. “Ryan, this is Ben Solo. Ben, Ryan.”

They shook hands. Ben let go and gestured toward the hallway.

“Shall we?” he said.

“Guess duty calls,” Rey told Ryan. “It was nice to meet you, Ryan.”

“You too,” he said. “Find me when you’re done if you can.”

She nodded and followed Ben to the dining area.

“Make any good connections out there?” she asked him.

“I hate everyone in this room,” he responded viciously.

“Hey, keep your voice down!” she snapped.

“I got about ten job offers.” He shook his head and rolled his eyes.

She scowled back. “Oh you poor, poor baby. Must be so rough.”

“You have the pleasure of knowing that you got your job on your own merits.”

“I got this job from hell because I’m the only one desperate enough to put up with you.” She opened her phone’s notes app. “K, if we’re here to work, let’s work.”

 

* * *

 

Even Rey could admit that Ben did an okay job on his speech. It was short and sweet, just like they had planned it. He wasn’t wrong; the guests were here to hear from Senator Antilles, not him.

When Ben turned the stage over to Senator Antilles, she managed to get a good picture with Ben’s phone of them shaking hands. Ben wore a face that could very generously be called a smile.

He wasn’t scowling, at least.

Senator Antilles finished his speech and began a receiving line of men coming to shake his hand and get a quick picture. Ben came back over and stood by Rey.

“So how’d I do? Do you think I convinced everyone here to become fulltime philanthropists?” he asked.

“I doubt it.” She smiled. “But maybe they’ll dial down the evil one or two notches.”

“Now they’ll just start polluting small, ugly ponds instead of beautiful lakes,” he said.

She chuckled and swatted his arm. “You’re terrible.”

“Ben!”

Both she and Ben turned to a new voice behind them. An older, handsome man came up to them and clapped a hand familiarly on Ben’s shoulder. Ben’s smile instantly morphed into an angry sneer.

Ben backed away from the hand like it had burned him. The mystery man seemed unmoved by Ben’s apparent disgust.

“What are _you_ doing here?” Ben asked angrily. He turned to Rey. “You didn’t tell me _he_ was coming.”

“I…”

“Lando Calrissian,” said the man, still smiling charmingly, holding out his hand to Rey. She shook it, confused. “I got a ticket at the last minute. Couldn’t resist the chance to see little Benji here.”

“You have no right to be here,” Ben near shouted back.

“I paid the ten grand for my plate,” responded Lando calmly. “So I think I do.”

Ben slammed a fist into a column next to him. A few people looked over.

“Stop, Ben,” hissed Rey, putting a hand on his wrist. “You’re making a scene.”

“How dare you come up to me?” shouted Ben to Lando, shaking off Rey’s arm.

“And this is how you greet your uncle?” asked Lando. He looked at Rey. “I’ve known this boy since he was in diapers.”

Ben’s hands were curled into fists and his face was near purple. Rey wedged herself in between the two men. She had once had to break up a nasty fight between two dorm mates, and she was prepared to do it again.

Thankfully, the people in the line waiting to greet Senator Antilles seemed unaware of what was happening.

Rey yanked Ben by the arm. She dragged Ben back to the entryway and out onto the front porch. She practically threw their ticket to the valet. Next to her, Ben looked like he wanted to run back in and finish the job.

Once the valet took off, Rey whirled on Ben.

“What the _hell,_ man?” she said, shoving him. “What if you had started fighting, what if someone had _seen,_ what if someone had _filmed_ it?”

Ben didn’t say anything, just huffed angrily and kicked the ground like a bull.

“You don’t know anything,” he said.

She shoved him again. “You keep _saying_ that! Maybe you should just tell me things instead of randomly shouting at old men!”

“He knows what he did,” mumbled Ben. “I hate that guy.”

“Oh, surprise, surprise, Ben Solo hates someone!” She threw her hands up in the arm. “Someone who apparently has known you your whole life. What a tragic thing to have someone like that!”

“I’m sorry I could have harmed your precious campaign.”

“This is my whole job, this is my whole life!” cried Rey. “Do you realize that I can be deported? After I graduate in a few weeks I am subject to the whims of the US government. So for me, it’s personal! If I can’t keep you from fighting on the campaign trail, they’ll fire me. Grow! Up!”

She crossed her arms and stared down, fighting back tears. After a minute, their car showed up. Rey got into the passenger seat and slammed her door shut before the valet had even climbed out.

She stared out the window all the way back to their hotel.


	5. August Part III

At the hotel, Rey slammed the car door shut and went straight to her room. She turned on the hotel tv and crawled into bed with her laptop. While she enjoyed a mindless romcom in the background, she answered some student emails and tweeted the picture of Ben and Senator Antilles from Ben’s account.

It was nearly midnight by the time she was ready to call it on reviewing a hopeless student’s paper when she got an email with a new LinkedIn notification. It was from a “Ryan Henderson,” and she smiled as she recognized the picture.

Attached was a message.

_Hey, got your name from the security list at the dinner. Hope that’s not too creepy. Sorry we didn’t get a chance to talk again. If I can catch you before you leave San Diego, my number is 949-555-3452._

She was impressed with his boldness. Deciding to adopt some of that bravery herself, she went ahead and texted him.

11:38 PM to Ryan>> _Hey it’s Rey :) I’m leaving town tomorrow, but I doubt it will be very early_

Conveniently, her road trip companion liked to sleep in.

11:39 PM<< _Hey, Rey, thanks for reaching out! Can I get you breakfast before you leave?_

She grinned. She couldn’t help it. She had never really dated much, either in England or here, having been way too busy to give it much thought.

But now she was almost done with college. Maybe she needed to start thinking about life as Brave New Rey, the girl who could make time for romance. It was a daunting thought, but not an altogether unpleasant one.

They made plans to meet in her hotel restaurant in the morning, and she went to bed feeling better than she had in hours.

 

* * *

 

Rey woke up early enough to do her hair and makeup. The road trip-worthy jeans and tshirt she had packed couldn’t be helped, but oh well.

She found Ryan already waiting for her in the hotel cafe.

“Sorry I had to slip out last night,” she said. “I had too much going on to stay.”

“That’s okay,” he said, guiding her to the counter to order. “I was really happy you texted me. And I’m glad I was able to catch you before you left.”

They ordered breakfast, and she even let Ryan pay.

She was poor, after all.

Her Gender Studies professor didn’t need to know.

The time passed quickly as they talked about everything from the election to Disneyland.

“You haven’t been?” he asked incredulously. “You live right there!”

All she could do was shrug. Somehow she didn’t feel like bringing up her lack of funds, car, or friends.

But it was nice. She hadn’t been on many dates, but she felt like she could call this a good one.

Ryan was telling her about his recent trip to England – people were always doing that, and she’d nod along like she’d ever been anywhere near the London Eye – when a shadow passed over their table.

She turned around automatically.

Ben stood behind them, hair mussed and eyebrows deeply furrowed.

“Um, hey Ben,” said Rey, looking him over. “I hadn’t heard from you so I figured you were still asleep.”

He pointed at the café like a caveman and grunted, “coffee.” He didn’t move.

“K, well, you best be getting that,” said Rey, looking significantly at the counter and jerking her head in its direction slightly.

The moment stretched too long that Ben stood there, and then, finally, he turned and got in line.

“So that’s your boss, huh?” asked Ryan.

She snorted. “Hardly. I work for the campaign.” She tossed her head. “But I mean, yeah, he’s my burden to bear.”

“Do you need to…” Ryan gestured at the coffee counter.

“He can get his own coffee,” said Rey firmly. “Anyway, where were we?”

Ryan dove back into his London tales, and Rey gave her focus back to him rather than a certain curmudgeonly coffee customer.

A few minutes later, he returned to them, giant cup in hand.

“I think we should get going,” Ben told Rey, his back squarely to Ryan. “I’d rather not spend my entire day on the freeway.”

She sighed.

“All right,” she said, standing up. Ryan stood, too, and she maneuvered Ben out of the way to stretch her hand out towards Ryan’s.

“Thanks for breakfast,” she said, shaking his hand.

Ryan shifted sort of awkwardly for one long, quiet moment, and then swiped his phone off the table and waved goodbye.

She refused to look back at Ben.

“If we’re going to get going, then let’s move,” said Rey to the empty space in front of her. “Meet me back here in ten minutes, don’t be late.”

It was a half hour later that Ben meandered into the lobby with his things.

Rey, who had already checked them both out, stood from the sofa where she had sat waiting, growing more annoyed by the minute.

“Nice minibar charges,” said Rey, slapping the bill against his chest. “No wonder you look like you got hit by a train.”

“Careful there,” he replied. “I could always tell the campaign they’re yours. I wonder whose hard-earned campaign donation funded a poor intern’s drinking problem.” He leaned down behind her as they walked. “Probably a coal miner. Or a Peace Corps worker.”

“Not just anyone could afford that bill.” She hit the elevator button for the parking garage. “Definitely one of those corporate suits from last night.”

“You know, I didn’t think those ‘suits’ were your type, but you proved me wrong.”

“I am not talking about this with you,” snapped Rey. They found his car and loaded up.

Once they had checked traffic conditions and got out on the road, Ben inevitably returned to the subject.

“Did you know that guy before last night?” he asked. “He moved fast.”

She didn’t answer.

“Naughty, naughty, setting up dates at campaign events,” he continued, wagging a finger.

“I _didn’t_.” She had done nothing wrong, even if they had exchanged numbers at the dinner, but felt defensive. “He found me last night on LinkedIn.”

Ben laughed outright at that. “LinkedIn? Is that the dating site for douche bags?”

“You would know,” she responded hotly. “Actually, that’s way too classy for you. I don’t even want to know what sleazy hookup site you use.”

“I don’t need dating sites.” He turned and winked at her.

She clapped dramatically. “I’m so happy for you.”

“Are you going to reach back out to him?” he asked, his eyes back on the road. “Ball’s in your court, you know.”

“Why do you say that?”

He turned back to her and snorted. “You shook his hand.”

“So?”

“That doesn’t exactly scream, ‘call me.’”

 _Was that true?_ Her pitiful lack of dating experience was rearing its head once again. Still, she held her head high and retorted,

“It must be hard for you to imagine a date ending in any way other than having water thrown in your face.”

He smirked at her. “Wouldn’t you just like to know how my dates end?”

“I assure you, there is nothing I would like to know less.”

“He definitely wanted you to walk out with him, or at least say something else,” continued Ben. “It was so awkward to watch him wait for you, it was practically unbearable. You shut him down cold.”

Incensed, she punched his arm. “Well, if you hadn’t been standing there glowering at us,” she cried. “So thanks for that.”

“You’re welcome. A guy like that would have bored you in no time. Besides, San Diego is too far anyway.”

“He’s a nice guy,” she defended angrily. “Shocker of the century that you’d hate that. And besides, he lives in Irvine.”

“Ah, I should have guessed he was from Orange County.”

“What does that even mean?” She scowled at him, and then rolled her eyes. “Forget it.”

She adjusted the car’s radio until she found NPR and leaned back, satisfied, as low, soothing voices filled the car.

“I thought you couldn’t get my radio to work.”

“Well, I figured it out. I’m 24, not 80.”

He looked over at her, confused. “I thought you were still in college?”

“I am, for a couple more weeks anyway. But some of us didn’t have the funds or support to start college right away.”

For once, Ben had no comeback. The car was silent for a long while, other than the two voices on the radio discussing what must have been the most boring book ever written.

But Rey was in too deep.

She couldn’t turn it off, not now.

Ben was so smug it hurt.

“You can change it,” he said at one point. “I promise I won’t judge.”

“It’s fascinating,” she said, and turned it up.

She held onto some small hope that they had turned it on towards the end of the interview, but as time passed it became obvious that they had been unlucky enough to find it right at the beginning.

Finally, it ended, and her shoulders slumped with relief. She silently prayed that whatever came on next would blow them away.

“ _This week we are celebrating public radio and thanking you, our members. Please consider contributing to our pledge drive. You generous donations…”_

“All right, I’ve heard enough,” said Ben, turning off the radio. He shivered. “That brought me back to childhood when they’d cut off _Sesame_ _Street_ to sell tshirts.”

“You liked _Sesame Street?_ ”

“When I was five, yes.”

“Because you identified with Oscar the Grouch.” She pictured a little boy with dark, floppy hair, crossing his arms and rolling his eyes. The thought made her giggle.

“Nah, he was too nice.”

“But Mummy wouldn’t buy you enough _Sesame Street_ toys and now you’ve got a chip on your shoulder the size of California.”

“I had plenty of toys,” he said. “That was never the problem.”

He randomly pulled off the freeway and into a Starbucks drive-thru.

“Need more coffee after that painful radio segment,” he said. He ordered for himself and allowed Rey to pick something, too. It was a more thoughtful gesture than she expected from him, but he waved off her thanks.

“Don’t want you drinking from mine, Scavenger,” he said. “Can’t trust someone who steals room service trays.”

“I’ll take the coffee, but trust me, I wouldn’t put my mouth near anything that’s touched yours.”

The barista handed Ben Rey’s coffee, and Ben took a swig before handing it to her, grinning widely.

“You are such a child,” said Rey, snatching it from him. Before he could drink from his own cup, she took off the lid and switched it with her own.

 

* * *

 

Once they were back on the freeway, Ben sank into total silence. He didn’t make a move to turn on music, and so neither did she.

He gripped the steering wheel at a perfect ten o’clock and two o’clock. He wasn’t even drinking his coffee.

Rey didn’t feel like guessing what had caused his change in mood, so she pulled out her phone and scrolled through emails.

There was nothing new in her primary inbox. However, the mood in the car was tense enough and she was just bored enough that she moved to her promotional inbox and began deleting her extensive backlog of emails that she really just needed to take ten seconds and unsubscribe to.

“I’m sorry for last night,” Ben blurted out.

She lowered her phone and raised her eyebrows. “Benjamin Solo is apologizing?”

“Don’t get used to it.”

“I wouldn’t dream of it.”

His lips turned up a little.

“Well,” he said slowly, “you were right to intervene, so thanks for that.” His face turned impassive again. “But I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Okay.” She pulled a notebook out of her bag. “We can talk about your campus tour instead!”

He groaned and slammed his head into his headrest.

 

* * *

 

Days later, Rey settled in for office hours in the study room she shared with three other TAs.

She didn’t expect to see students coming in for help for at least another week, which was much closer to the due date for their final paper.

Deciding to use the time productively, she logged onto Ben’s twitter account.

\--

Benjamin Organa Solo @BenOrganaSolo

_Son to @LeiaOrgana, Attorney, Advocate. Join us for a brighter future @Leia2016_

Los Angeles <leiaforpresident.com>

\-- 

He had gained significant followers over the past few days following his pictures with Senator Antilles. She scrolled through his timeline and retweeted stuff from @LeiaOrgana, @SenWedgeAntilles, @POTUSAckbar, and @TheResistance.

She relished the last one, a tweet all about the value of government and the joy of being an active participant in the democratic process. He’d hate it.

If he ever even saw it.

Suddenly inspired, she found NPR’s twitter page. Then she found their local station and made a tiny donation, even as her bank account protested it. She took a screenshot of the “Thank You for Your Donation” page and posted it to Ben’s twitter with the message –

<Always a good source of illuminating discourse and an excellent road trip companion. Thank you @NPR!>

Snickering, she took a screenshot of Ben’s twitter page and texted it to him. She noticed a text message from Rose she had missed.

2:42 PM<< _Drinks on Friday night? I’m dying to hear how things are going with Prince Organa!_

It felt good to have a friend.

She texted back the eye roll emoji. Then she checked her calendar and sighed.

3:12 PM to Rose>> _I’m on call at the dorms on Friday night. Can you do Saturday?_

3:13 PM<< _Yeah, sure! I’m so impressed with your ability to endure underclassmen_

3:14 PM to Rose>> _It’s been good training to deal with Ben._

3:14 PM<< _Bratty First Kid or not, I’m still jealous! I spent the day making phone calls – hence the need for drinks_

Rey remembered that Poe told her she’d have to have Ben record a robocall soon. She needed to start thinking about that.

As if on cue, Ben texted her.

3:16 PM<< _If you spent your own money on that, then you’re the only one who lost here, sweetheart_

She rolled her eyes. Inwardly, though, she realized she should be grateful he wasn't mad.

3:18 PM to Ben>> _I am proud to support excellent programming. I would have never started reading “A History of Tree Ring Dating” otherwise_

3:19 PM<< _You’ve picked the right profession. You lie like a politician._

She typed a one-handed response as she searched the school’s library on her laptop to see if they had the book.

3:19 PM to Ben>> _For your information, it’s really food_

3:19 PM to Ben>> _Hood_

3:19 PM to Ben>> _GOOD_

3:21 PM<< _Is dendrochronology as captivating in book form as in radio form?_

3:21 PM<< _And you thought I wasn’t listening_

3:22 PM to Ben>> _This isn’t important. We need to come up with a profile on your work in your family’s foundation_

3:23 PM<< _Hahaha you haven’t read squat_

On her computer, Rey noticed a new message on Ben’s twitter. She read it and grinned wickedly.

3:26 PM to Ben>> _NPR appreciated your fanboy tweet. They want to have you on the air. :)_

Ben didn’t answer, but she could feel his sigh from across the city.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's worth noting that this is unequivocally a Reylo story. (Not a Reyan story)
> 
> Say hi on tumblr or twitter dawninthemtn
> 
> Thanks for your ongoing support!


	6. August Part IV

By the time Saturday rolled around, Rey was more than ready for a night of drinks and girl talk with Rose. Her week had been packed with schoolwork, TA work, another swanky fundraiser she had to drag Ben’s lazy butt to, and two nights on-call at the dorms.

The dorms were particularly painful. It seemed to Rey that she was the only one on campus who seemed to understand that summer semester still involved _school_.

Battling the endless noise that permeated the hallways on her floor, she rubbed her head and tried to focus on her textbooks to little effect. She wanted to get ahead of her studies so she could be free to travel with Ben before the term ended.

The morning had been blissfully quiet, all the students sleeping off their Friday night antics. But now that it was afternoon, people had started waking up. Music poured in from every room, and loud laughter echoed through the hallways. Rey slammed her headphones on. Didn’t these kids have hangovers?

After four years of this, she was anxious to move out. She promised herself that she would ask Rose if she could stay with her when she graduated.

It was a terrifying thought.

Rey had rehearsed her speech over and over in her head all week. She hated asking anyone for anything, but she felt like she was low on options. Most apartments required a security deposit plus first and last month’s rent, and that was simply too much cash for her to put together at the moment.

Combine that with the facts that she was going to be on the road a lot, didn’t know her financial future past election day, and might even be deported? Yeah - signing a lease didn’t seem like the smartest move.

Rey eventually packed up and hit the library until it was late enough to walk over to their meeting place. Rose had been kind enough to agree to meet at a bar near campus, despite her initial hesitation that it would be filled with “college boys.”

“Hey girl!” said Rose when she showed up, giving Rey a big hug. They found an empty booth and ordered from the waitress. While they waited for their drinks, they filled each other in on what they had been up to since they parted in Dallas.

Rose complained endlessly about the painful phone calls she had been making all week.

“I’ve been calling local Democratic party representatives,” she said. “All of my calls have been to Ohio for the past few days. There was the chattiest local chair from some small town. She wouldn’t let me off the phone for 45 minutes. You may be relieved to know that the tapeworm that her cat had has finally passed.”

Rey laughed into her drink. It felt good to relax with a friend.

Rose was an extremely chatty person. By the time Rose turned the tables on Rey, the two were already multiple drinks in and giggling over everything.

“All right, enough about the sad, boring life of a low-level staffer,” said Rose. “Tell me, how’s your little spoiled prince?”

Groaning, Rey said, “Spoiled, but not princely.”

“Well, have you ever met a prince?” Rose’s eyes widened. “Wait, have you? I mean, in England. William or Harry? Which one? Both?”

“Sorry to inform you that not everyone in England knows the royal family.”

“Bummer.” Rose took a swig of her drink. “He looked pretty princely to me in the picture he tweeted the other day, with the Lieutenant Governor.”

“You mean _I_ tweeted.” Rey scoffed. “He doesn’t do anything productive. And trust me, if you saw him on a regular day, not at an event, you would not think he looks princely. His hair sticks out like this.” She flung her hands out next to the sides of her head.

“Fine, but admit that he cleans up well,” said Rose, leaning in close across the booth.

“What?” She thought about the events they had gone to. “All right, I guess I can admit he looks good when he wants to.”

“I fall into the group of people who think he’s hot,” said Rose matter-of-factly.

“There are groups?”

“Yeah, the internet is split on it.”

“That is the dumbest thing I could think of to argue about. But there are definitely plenty of women who agree with you.” Rey pulled out her phone and opened Ben’s twitter page before flashing it at Rose. “I keep deleting his DMs, because believe me, his ego doesn’t need that.”

“Wait, what kind of DMs?”

“Do you want to read them?” Rey was just tipsy enough to suggest it. Rose clapped her hands eagerly.

“All right.” Rey giggled and read off the most recent message. “This one is from @bluestgirlreddeststate. She says ‘hey some girls think you’re a snack, but I think you’re breakfast, lunch, and dinner.’ Three eggplant emojis. Then she gives her number.”

“That’s weak,” said Rose. She snatched the phone from Rey. “Let me see.” She scrolled and then stopped. “Oooh, I’ve got one. From @heyitskayyournextlay.” She scoffed. “Classy. K, she says, ‘Let’s play Titanic. You be the iceberg. And I’ll go down.’”

The girls burst into laughter.

“I’ll give her some points for creativity,” said Rey.

Rose kept scrolling.

“I’ve never seen so many eggplants in my life,” she muttered. “A few girls call him ‘Ben Swolo,’ that’s cute.”

“See what I have to deal with?” asked Rey. “And I have to keep his messages open in case we get something legitimate, which happens.”

“You could learn from them, you know. Up your own game. Wait!” Rose jumped in her seat. “You can be @heyitsreyyournextlay!”

Rey laughed and vigorously shook her head. “Hard pass.” She straightened. “Actually, I’m kinda sorta seeing someone.”

Rose nearly dropped Rey’s phone. “What? Who?”

“This guy I met at a fundraiser. We’re going out for the second time tomorrow. He’s nice. We text sometimes.”

“When were you going to tell me about this?”

“There’s not much to tell.” Rey picked up her phone, locked it, and put it in her bag. “I should probably get going, though. You know, get my beauty sleep.”

It wasn’t until she got home that she realized she had never asked Rose about her apartment.

 

* * *

 

Rey had decided to take Ben’s words to heart and realized that she needed to be the one to reach out to Ryan. So the week before, she had texted him to say hi, and he had responded quickly. They had texted on and off since then, and now she found herself across from him in a restaurant with views of the ocean and the Santa Monica Pier.

It was nice. The environment was lovely and the food was good. And she was really flattered that Ryan would come up to the city to take her out.

So far the list of things that Ryan was shocked she had never done included surfing, visiting Disneyland, sailing, swimming in the ocean, traveling to Las Vegas, and attending a football game.

“ _American_ football,” he had cut her off before she could protest.

Ryan had been chatting for a while about his time on the UC Irvine tennis team when Rey found herself gazing out the window towards the ocean.

 _A guy like that would bore you in no time_.

Ben’s voice somehow sneaked into her thoughts. She shook her head and focused back in on Ryan.

“This may shock you, but I’ve never played tennis,” said Rey, already knowing what Ryan’s reaction would be.

His eyes widened. “We’ll have to go,” he said. “You’ll love it.”

Honestly, she wasn’t sure that she would.

Ben’s smirking face re-entered her mind.

 _Get out of my head,_ she hissed inwardly.

“Sorry, is something wrong?” asked Ryan, looking at her oddly.

“Oh, no, sorry, I’m good. Go on,” she said, urging him on with her hand.

They continued talking. Eventually, he had her laughing again and she had a nice time. They took a walk along the pier, and that was nice, too.

When the time came for him to drop her back off at the dorms, she fought a battle within herself. He had come all the way up, on a Sunday, in _traffic,_ and treated her to a pricey meal. She knew in her mind that she didn’t owe him anything, but she still felt bad.

But she couldn’t shake the feeling that if guilt was her greatest emotion at the end of a date, it probably wasn’t worth repeating.

“Ryan,” she said when they had stopped. “This was really nice…” She trailed off.

“I’m sensing a ‘but,’” said Ryan, looking tense.

“It’s just, I’m busy finishing the semester and I’m going on the road with the campaign soon,” she hurried to say.

“Got it,” said Ryan, nodding resignedly.

“I’m sorry, I just don’t have a lot of time or energy to give to dating right now,” she babbled on. “Just…I don’t know…maybe after the campaign…if I come back to LA…”

“K.”

They sat frozen for a moment.

She gave him a little wave that she instantly regretted.

“Thank you, Ryan,” she said, before running up to her dorm and burying her head into her pillow.

 

* * *

 

 

The next day, she burst into Ben’s apartment with a massive chip on her shoulder. Ben had no idea (and she swore he never would), but she couldn’t help feeling like he had ruined her date simply by being an annoying little bee in her bonnet.

“What’s with you?” asked Ben as she surged in and sank angrily onto his couch.

“None of your damn business, that’s what,” she snapped back.

“Sheesh,” said Ben. “Forgive a guy for asking.”

“You didn’t,” gritted Rey through her teeth. “A nice guy would say, ‘how are you?,’ or ‘are you okay?,’ not ‘what’s with you?’” She lowered her voice a few octaves to parrot back his words.

“Women are always imitating men like that, but I don’t think I’ve ever heard a man who sounds like that in my life.”

She was not in the mood to be amused.

“Haha,” she said drily. She pulled out her laptop and went to set it on the coffee table, but had to move an empty Styrofoam takeout container.

“Do you ever clean?” she asked, standing and shoving it into his arms. “You have a nice apartment. Take care of it sometimes, you slob.”

“I do,” he protested, as he stuffed the carton into the kitchen trash. “But it’s not the first thing on my mind on a Monday morning.”

“Ah, forgive me,” she called into the kitchen. “I forgot to group you in with people who have actual jobs.”

“I do have a job,” he said, eventually sinking into the loveseat opposite her, balancing a bowl of cereal in one of his massive hands. “It’s _this._ ” He pointed at her with his free arm.

“Well then, you’ll be happy to know that you’ll be earning your salary today,” said Rey, waiting for her computer to boot up. “We have to record a robocall.”

Ben groaned and leaned back against the couch.

“Oh, you poor thing,” mocked Rey. “While other people slave the day away, poor Ben has to record a thirty second phone call in the comfort of his own home.”

“Can’t I opt out of this one?” whined Ben. “You want me to have passion? Fine. My passion is to leave people alone, not annoy them with these calls.”

“Nature of the game, I guess.” Rey shrugged. “I don’t make the rules. But I’ll be damned if you make me look bad by not fulfilling our assignments.”

He rolled his eyes as he munched on his cereal. After a few minutes of him crunching, he left for the kitchen, presumably to put his bowl in the sink.

Then he returned with another full bowl.

“Seriously?” Rey glared at him.

“What? It’s good.” He shrugged and took a big bite. “And I had milk left over.”

Inwardly, Rey agreed that you can never stop with one bowl of cereal, but she’d never admit that to him.

She waited for the sound of him clinking around in his bowl.

“There, you done yet?”

“Nah.” He stood and she saw him pour both more cereal and more milk. He grinned back at her.

“Fine, I’m having some, too,” she said, following him into the kitchen. Ben had the good, sugary stuff. He wordlessly handed her a bowl and spoon, and they ate in silence for a while.

On the counter, Rey saw Ben’s mail.

“You have your five year law school reunion coming up,” she said, reading off an invitation sitting on top of the mail stack. “Are you going? We need to work it into your schedule.”

“No way.”

“Why not?”

“I ha-“

“Hate everyone there, got it.” Rey rolled her eyes.

He sighed and leaned on his elbows. “I was going to say I hate opportunistic gunners who swarm me to get closer to my mom. So, not _everyone_ there. Just most of them.”

He looked over at her and added, “You’re almost done with school. Do you think you’ll be dying to see your old classmates in a few years?”

She laughed suddenly at the thought. “I guess not.”

“There you go.” He put his bowl in the sink and sat back on the couch, pulling out his phone.

She followed him and was happy to see that her computer was finally up and connected. The recording software she had gotten was still on the screen from her testing it the night before.

“Okay,” she said, handing Ben a piece of paper. He took it and put it next to him without looking. “This is what I put together. The team wanted you to focus on your mom’s track record in California, since people out of state may not be familiar with it.”

He barely looked over, still scrolling on his phone.

“Would you listen to me?” The anger Rey had felt at Ben earlier resurfaced. She marched over in time for her to catch a glimpse of what Ben was looking at.

“Wait,” she said, reaching to snatch his phone out of his hand. “Is that _twitter?_ ” She had grabbed it in time to see it before he locked it. “I’ve spent every waking minute of the past couple weeks manning your twitter because you said you couldn’t.”

“Hey, I never said I couldn’t. I said I didn’t want to. And you probably don’t want me to, either.”

She looked at his phone. “@ _Kyl0R3n_? What is that?”

He seemed unbothered by her snooping. “It’s my gamertag.”

She scrolled through his feed, filled with _Silencer_ memes and more video game related content that she didn’t understand. She picked a tweet at random to read aloud.

“@GeneralHux, you can take your exclusives and shove them up your ass. Xbox’s better frame rate and resolution make playing #silencer on a PS4 feel like an NES.” She looked up to see Ben watching her, amused.

“Are you twelve years old?” she said, throwing the phone back at him.

“General Hux is an idiot Sony fanboy,” he said emphatically and unapologetically.

“So this is it.” She threw her arms in the air. “This is what gets Ben Solo arguing passionately. Not the _economy,_ not the _environment_ , nope. Xbox.”

“I’m not going to apologize for having a hobby.”

“Video games is not a hobby, at least not for grown adults.”

“Oh yeah?” He cocked an eyebrow. “And what is?”

“I don’t know.” She waved her arms around. “Swimming? Hiking? Surfing? Crochet?”

“And you do those things?”

“Well, no.” Her voice shrank. Maybe she should give Ryan another chance. He had sure seemed eager to introduce her to a whole litany of activities.

“Because you just love studying.”

“Because I’ve been surviving!” cried Rey. “I don’t have time for a hobby, because for years I’ve been studying and scrimping just to make it to the next semester, to my next meal! You would never understand.”

Her voice cracked. Embarrassed, she turned back towards Ben’s kitchen, anxious to find something, anything to busy herself with.

She was putting Ben’s sink dishes into the dishwasher when he came up behind her.

“Let’s make a deal,” he said. “If I record the robocall in one take, with no complaints, you owe me one hour of playing _Silencer._ ”

Against her will, a tiny smile crept on her face. She wiped it off before turning around. “And if you can’t manage that?”

“I will.” He smiled cockily.

“Fine, Kylo Ren, you’re on.”

Thirty minutes later, Rey found herself yelling at Ben’s TV. Of course he had done a perfect recording in one take. It was always shocking what he could pull off when he wasn’t whining or fighting every step of the way.

Declaring himself victorious as soon as they played back the robocall message on Rey’s computer, Ben had immediately jumped up and turned on his Xbox. They spent some time creating Rey’s avatar, which Ben named Scavenger24 and submitted before she could protest.

“Gee, thanks,” she said.

“I don’t know,” he replied. “It’s not bad, really. Sounds scrappy and resourceful. It suits you.”

Rey was officially terrible at the game. She died over and over, and currently, she was stuck in a corner, not able to navigate the controls well enough to figure out how to get out of it.

“This is unbelievable,” said Ben. “I’m seriously amazed that a human being with thumbs is able to be this bad.”

“Shut up!” she yelled, smacking him with her controller.

“Do you want me to get you out of the corner?”

“No!”

He made a big show of putting his controller in his lap and settling down, crossing his legs.

“All right, I’ll wait,” he said, smirking.

After a couple minutes, she managed to find her way out of the corner and ran into an open field.

“I did it!” She fist pumped the air.

 _BOOM._ Someone shot her in the back and her avatar fell over, dead yet again.

Next to her, Ben was holding his controller again and laughing.

“Wait, _you_ killed me? I’m on your team, you wanker!”

He grinned widely at her. “I’ll lose some points for that, but it was worth it.”

She threw her controller on the floor and jumped on top of Ben, punching him all over. He ducked, but kept laughing.

“What happened to an English stiff upper lip?” he cried in between deflecting her shots. “Keep calm and all that?”

“I’m an East End girl, bitch! We don’t play by the rules.”

On the coffee table, her phone rang, making them both freeze. Suddenly embarrassed, she climbed off of Ben carefully and reached for her phone.

“I don’t know this number,” she said. “I better take it.”

She stepped aside and answered the call.

“Hello?”

“Hi, is this Rey Niima?”

“Yes. Who’s this?”

“Hi, Rey. My name is Finn Storm. I’m an immigration attorney. I’m working on behalf of the Leia Organa campaign. I’m going to help you with your visa.”

“Oh!” She straightened up and blessed Poe in her mind. “That’s…that’s amazing!”

“I understand you’re close to graduation?”

“Yes, uh, next month.” Her head was reeling.

“So we’re working on a timeline. We better get cracking.”

Suddenly, her joy deflated. “Um, Mr. Storm…”

“Please call me Finn.”

“K, um, Finn, I’m afraid I don’t have a lot to pay a lawyer right now.” She lowered her voice, aware of Ben’s curious gaze.

“The campaign is sponsoring you,” said Finn. “Hopefully it won’t be too complex. But we should get moving. Can I get your email?”

They exchanged information and Rey hung up, dazed.

“What was that?” asked Ben.

“Some immigration lawyer,” she responded slowly. “Finn Storm. Do you know him?”

“Sorry, it’s a huge legal market in LA. And I don’t practice immigration.”

“Well, I guess the campaign sent him.” She grabbed her computer. “I better get home and gather some stuff he needs.”

“So there goes my dream of you being deported.”

“If it’s not me on your back, it’ll be someone else, you know.”

“At least they probably wouldn’t be on my _actual_ back,” he said, rubbing his shoulders.

“I’ll be in touch. Don’t murder anyone before I come back.”

“I promise I won’t derail your precious campaign in the next 24 hours.”

“You better not!” Gathering her stuff, she practically skipped out of his apartment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To be fair, I skipped my law school reunion too.
> 
> Special thank you to my loving and nerdy husband, who helped me navigate gamer twitter, and who will thankfully never even see this note.
> 
> Incidentally, Ben's line about Rey's thumbs is a direct quote from my husband about me, from when we were first married and I still did nice things like try to take an interest in his hobbies.


	7. September Part I

Rey was walking across campus when her phone rang with an unfamiliar number. Hoping it was the Registrar’s office calling her back with her school enrollment documents for Finn, she answered with a breezy _hello_.

“Hello,” said the voice on the other line. “Is this Rey Niima?”

“Yes, it is.”

“Hi, Rey. This is Leia Organa.”

Rey nearly dropped her phone.

“Oh! Oh!” Rey was inelegantly sputtering as she sank into a bench to fully focus on this unexpected call. “Um, Le-, I mean, um, Governor, what can I do for you?”

Rey winced and kicked herself as she heard Leia chuckle a bit through the line.

“I got your number from Poe. I hope that’s okay.”

It was more than okay. But she didn’t have a chance to assure Leia of the blatantly obvious before she plowed on.

“I never got to thank you for taking on my idiot son. How is that going?”

“Umm…”

“Don’t answer that.” Leia dramatically sighed. “Poe assures me you’ve been forcing him to attend fundraisers, so thank you for that. You guys will start your campus tour soon, correct?”

“Yes.”

“Perfect. See that he doesn’t embarrass me all over the country.”

Rey was trying to think of a response when it became clear that Leia didn’t have time for or simply didn’t want to chitchat.

“Listen,” she said briskly. “I need a favor from you, and it’s a more personal matter. I’m sorry it’s last minute, but I’ve been so damn busy.” She paused. “This Saturday my family’s foundation is holding its annual gala. I’d have preferred we skip this year with the campaign, but it’s the 50th anniversary, so it was hard to avoid. This is not a campaign event per se, as we will be raising money for ALS, and not me, of course, but unfortunately I’m always campaigning in some capacity. There will be cameras everywhere, people ready to gossip, the whole gamut. This is Ben’s grandparents’ legacy. He’ll be missed if he’s not there. So I need him there, _behaving_.”

Rey tried to process everything Leia had just rattled off.

She finally swallowed and found her voice.

“Yeah, of course.”

“Perfect. I will have someone give you all the details. And for the love of all that’s holy, please make sure Ben wears a clean tux.”

Rey’s stomach bottomed out at that.

“Um, you’re saying you want me to actually come?”

“Yes, please come and keep tabs on Ben throughout the night.”

“I really don’t have…” Rey’s voice trailed off. She had managed to put together a decent campaigning wardrobe over the past couple weeks, both begging for castoffs from dorm-mates and making a couple fruitful trips to TJ Maxx, but somehow doubted that she had anything that qualified for a gala.

“Something to wear? It will be taken care of. Someone will be in touch. Oh, and tell him no date. I can’t have someone there I haven’t vetted.”

“Um, no date, got it.”

“Poe thinks the world of you, so I know I can trust you. Thank you, and I’ll see you there.”

Rey tried to collect her thoughts enough to say good-bye, but Leia had already hung up. She allowed herself a few minutes to bask in the unexpected pleasure of having Leia Organa ask for a “personal favor” before resuming her quick walk to make her office hours on time.

As she walked, she dialed Ben. Despite his phone being an extension of his arm at all times, he didn’t answer.

Once she had settled into her shared office, she texted him.

2:03 PM to Ben>> _I know you have your phone. Call me_

2:04 PM>> _What makes you so sure?_

2:05 PM to Ben>> _You just proved my point. Besides, what could you possibly be doing where you wouldn’t have your phone? You literally sleep with it_

2:06 PM<< _I could have been in the shower._

2:06 PM to Ben>> _I bet you even read your phone in the shower. Better stop or you’ll get electrocuted_

2:06 PM to Ben>> _Actually keep reading in the shower_

2:06 PM<< _Do you often think about what I do in the shower?_

She rolled her eyes.

2:07 PM to Ben>> _The only thing I care about is that you shower, ever_

2:08 PM to Ben>> _Do you have a tux?_

2:10 PM<< _Is this about the gala?_

2:11 PM to Ben>> _Your mom called me to make sure you went. I’m supposed to go with you._

2:12 PM<< _She really gives me no credit._

2:13 PM to Ben>> _What reason would she have to give you any?_

2:16 PM<< _I’ve attended the Organa gala every year since I was fifteen. I know how to handle a black tie event._

2:17 PM to Ben>> _I bet fifteen year old you was a real picnic_

2:20 PM<< _Oh, I wasn’t, I assure you._

2:21 PM to Ben>> _You don’t say_

2:21 PM to Ben>> _And you wonder why your mom needs me to keep tabs on you_

2:22 PM to Ben>> _So do you have a tux? Does it need to be cleaned?_

2:25 PM<< _I don’t know. I’m at the gym_

2:26 PM to Ben>> _He leaves the apartment!_

2:26 PM<< _It’s in my building_

2:27 PM to Ben>> _Of course it is._

She responded to a student’s email before she thought of something else.

2:34 PM to Ben>> _Oh, and your mom said not to bring a date, so the finest ladies that Tinder has to offer will have to wait until next weekend for the world’s worst date_

2:36 PM<< _My mom said that, huh?_

2:37 PM to Ben>> _Yes_

2:38 PM<< _Or maybe you just don’t want to third wheel it?_

2:39 PM to Ben>> _I don’t know what you’re trying to imply but believe me, that is not the issue. Your mom said she didn’t want anyone there she hadn’t vetted_

2:40 PM<< _All right I believe you. That sounds like her._

 

* * *

 

 

The rest of the week was a blur as Rey tried to get her work done and mentally prepare herself for her Saturday at the gala. She had had to work on call at the dorms both Thursday and Friday nights, as well as promising to work all day Sunday, just to get someone to cover for her tonight.

After an overwhelming afternoon on Rodeo Drive where Rey was measured, dressed, styled, and primped, she rode in the back of a limo towards downtown and sent the millionth text reminding Ben what time they had to be ready. Still, she had planned it so she would get to his building with plenty of time to spare in case she had to force him into the shower.

The limo driver pulled into a visitor spot in Ben’s parking garage and helped her out of the car. She struggled a little in her heels and long navy blue ball gown, the price of which she didn’t even want to know.

The bracelet Leia’s stylist had put on her wrist sparkled as Rey knocked rapidly on Ben’s door. She knew by now how long it would take for Ben to finally make it to the door, but tonight he was setting a new record. Feeling annoyed, she yanked her phone out of the little clutch and dialed him.

“Hello?” Ben surprised her by actually answering.

“Can you please answer your door?”

“I’m not home,” he responded conversationally.

“You’re _not home?”_ she yelled. “Where are you?”

“Chill out, I’m on my way back.” Rey could picture his unaffected shrug. “I was surfing.”

“You were surfing?”

“Yeah, it’s been a while. Felt good.”

“Oh, well that’s just great.” Rey forced the words from between her teeth.

“You’re the one who’s always telling me to get out.”

“I meant go grocery shopping or carry out your recycling, not revisit an old hobby two hours before your mom’s gala!” She slapped her hand against her forehead and groaned. “How far out are you?”

“Mmm…twenty minutes.”

“You bloody liar!” cried Rey. She had lived in LA long enough to know that “twenty minutes” was code for “I’m really hoping for 45.” Ben’s silence was enough to confirm to her that she was right.

“Sooo, I guess I’ll see you when I see you,” said Ben after a moment.

“Don’t hang up!” She paced for a moment, thinking. “K, you definitely don’t have time to come all the way here and then get all the way back to Beverly Hills in time for the red carpet. You’ll – you’ll have to meet me there.”

He laughed. “As much as I love the idea of showing up at the gala in my bathing suit, I’m thinking that’s not the impression you’d like to give.”

She scowled.

“I’ll bring your clothes,” she said, before remembering what he had been doing. “Arggg, but you probably look and smell like the little mermaid just rescued you from the sea.”

“You think I look like a prince?” he said smugly.

“I mean you look disgusting!” She tapped her chin a few times with her neatly painted nails. “Ah! I’ve got it. UCLA is right by Beverly Hills. You can shower at my place!”

“Don’t you live in the dorms?”

“Yep.”

“I am not doing that. I haven’t stepped inside a dorm in ten years.”

“Well, you will tonight, because _you_ decided to ignore the schedule I sent you at least ten times,” she said, punctuating the last few words. “Your mother personally asked me to get you to this event, on time, in a presentable fashion, and _so help me,_ I will see it done!”

“Give me your door code,” she continued before Ben could cut in. “I need to get your stuff.”

He sighed so loudly it came through the phone. “Don’t get any ideas,” he said. “I’m changing the code as soon as I get home.”

He rattled off his code and she typed it in before she got an idea. Her fingers worked at record speed.

“I changed your code,” she told him triumphantly.

“What? How?”

“Our dorm building uses the same system. I have to change the code regularly. I will give you your new code when you meet me at my building. So don’t even think of just coming home or else you’ll be locked out all night.”

She gleefully imagined his wide eyes. After a beat, he started laughing.

“You’re an evil genius,” he said.

“Yes, I am. Just tell me what to grab.”

 

* * *

 

A little bit later, Rey climbed back into the limo, armed with one of Ben’s tuxes – he had multiple, apparently – that she had had cleaned, his shoes and accessories, and a large bag full of hair care products that Ben had sworn were all crucial.

The driver didn’t seem to question Rey’s modified instructions, and when they pulled into her dorm parking lot, she was thrilled to see Ben’s Audi SUV already parked there. She walked up to the driver side window and knocked. He looked up from his phone dazedly, but then snapped his head up again.

Stepping out, he pulled off his sunglasses and made Rey feel even more self-conscious by looking her up and down.

“You look really good,” he said, surprising her with his earnestness.

She fought hard against her rising blush.

“Well, you don’t,” she said, even though his beachy, windswept hair actually looked good, _darn him._ “We gotta move. Come help with me with your crap.”

“Hang on,” he said, reaching up to pull his surfboard off the roof of his car. “I don’t trust anyone here.”

Rey ended up carrying everything from the limo since Ben didn’t allow her to touch the surfboard that he suddenly cherished despite admitting he hadn’t been out before today in over a year.

Thankfully, the only person in the lobby was the RA who had taken Rey’s shift. She waved to him as they waited for the slow elevator. Rey managed to sneak Ben into her room on the third floor and handed him her towel.

“It’s…clean,” she said. Mostly.

“That doesn’t inspire much confidence,” said Ben, eyeing it like it would disease him without even touching it.

“You’ll survive.” She thrust it in his hands and pulled out the shampoo and conditioner he had insisted she grab from his shower.

“Where’s my body wash?” he asked.

“I didn’t get it. Just use shampoo.”

“Who does that?”

_She did,_ often.

“It’s all soap,” she said, exasperated. “Do want to bring your clothes?”

“I’ve been in a dorm bathroom,” said Ben, wrinkling his nose. “I am not taking an Armani tux in there. I’ll come back and change. But I am wearing my shoes in the shower.” He pointed at his Rainbow sandals.

“Fine, please, just hurry,” she said, looking down the hallway. Satisfied that the coast was clear, she lead him down to the men’s bathroom and pushed him in. “I’ll wait here.”

She listened for the echoey sounds of the shower turning on, and leaned against the wall. Here was she was, more glammed up than she had ever been, and she was patrolling a dorm bathroom.

One of the floor boys came out of the common room and stopped short when he saw Rey. He whistled lowly.

“Going somewhere, Rey?” he asked.

“Obviously,” she hissed. She heard Ben shut the shower off and mentally willed the freshman away.

She wasn’t that lucky.

“Guys, come here!” he yelled into the common room. “Check out Rey!”

One by one, at least ten boys came out and stared at her.

“Go Rey!” one said. “Got a date?”

“It’s not a date,” she said, but all the boys’ eyes moved behind her. She turned around and saw Ben standing there, dripping, with her towel slung around his hips.

All the boys cheered and whistled. A couple heads popped out of various rooms to see what the commotion was.

Blushing furiously, Rey snapped her fingers and yelled at the boys to scatter. She could hear Ben snickering behind her as she quickly lead him back to her room.

“I could fry an egg on your face right now,” said Ben once they were safely inside. “I take it the kids aren’t used to seeing you date?”

“This is not a date,” she said again.

“They don’t know that.” He chuckled. “Poor little boys, with crushes on their RA.”

“They do not.”

“Some of them do, I guarantee it.”

She shoved his garment bag against his bare chest.

“Get dressed. I’ll turn around.” She sat on the edge of her bed and stared out the window.

There was the sound of the zipper and rustling around.

“You seem to have forgotten something,” said Ben.

“What?”

“Underwear.”

Rey’s stomach sank.

“You didn’t tell me to get it!” she cried, feeling stupid.

He laughed. “I didn’t think I had to. I don’t know about you, but I don’t wear underwear under my bathing suit.” She felt him come closer. “Or maybe you just wanted me to go commando.”

She whirled on him. “That is not it!”

He smirked, still standing there shirtless. They stared each other down for a minute, before Rey released a breath up to her forehead and let her shoulders slump.

“Hooo-kay,” she said, sighing. “Wait here.”

Questioning every decision she had ever made in her life that had led to this point, Rey walked back down the hallway in her swishy gown and stilettos to the common room.

She stepped in and all the boys’ eyes fell on her again.

“I need to borrow some boxers,” she said, holding her head high. As she had predicted, the room broke into whoops and wolf whistles.

“Yeah, yeah,” she said, waving her hand, annoyed. “It’s not like that. Who has _clean_ underwear?”

“I just did laundry,” called out one.

“You might be too skinny,” she said, taking in his little frame. All the boys laughed, and she felt bad.

“You’re too skinny for Rey, Cassian.” Cassian’s head drooped as the boys teased him.

“I’ll get some,” said another, standing up to a more impressive height and breadth. Rey nodded at him and he stalked out proudly.

She was going to follow him to his room when one of the boys called out, “I was right!” She turned to find him holding up his phone with Google Images opened, and a picture of Ben staring at her.

“I knew he looked familiar,” he continued, showing everyone. “It’s Leia Organa’s son!”

They all looked at Rey. There was no point in denying it.

“I work for the campaign,” she said. “That’s it. He had to get ready here. Get all your minds out of the gutter and leave him alone.”

The boy came back holding a pair of plaid blue boxers and Rey snatched them from him as the room burst into laughter again.

“You can keep those!” he called out as she walked as fast as she could in her shoes.

Back in her room, Ben was carefully blow-drying his hair. He had made her pack his hair dryer, even though she had said he could use hers.

“Does it have a diffuser?” he had asked.

“What’s that?”

“Bring mine.”

She had figured out that a diffuser was a weird attachment, which he was meticulously and painfully slowly using now. She didn’t think he’d respond well to her tip of just flipping his head over and nuking it on the top setting, the way she did, so she just threw the boxers at him.

Ben let them drop to the floor, his hands occupied.

“Did you smell them?” he asked.

“Ew, no, why would I do that?”

“To make sure they’re actually clean.” He shrugged and turned his dryer back on.

“No way,” she yelled over the noise.

He barely looked her way. “I’ve got all night, and I’m comfy. We could just stay here, you know.”

She picked them up and took a whiff. “They smell fine, but how would I know?”

“Believe me, you’d know.” He took them from her. “Normally, I’d never wear another guy’s underwear, but the idea of you having to go back out there and ask for them makes it worth it.”

She turned around and sat on her bed.

“They figured out who you are,” she told him.

“Ah, I thought so,” he said. “I could tell that one of them was onto me.”

“How?”

“I’m very familiar with the look he gave me. I’m just the right level of famous that a tiny portion of the population recognizes me, and even then, it usually takes them a minute to place me.” He paused. “Although, that is changing with the election ramping up. At this point, I might be hovering around C-list celebrity status.”

“If your mom wins, you’ll climb higher than that.”

“Lucky me.” He sighed. “You can turn around.”

She turned to see him fastening the cufflinks she had brought. Then he tied his bowtie before returning to his hair. One by one, he used the products she had brought as she tapped her foot anxiously.

Finally, he pulled on his shiny shoes and fitted jacket and gestured at the door.

“Shall we get this stupid night over with?”

“You sure know how to sweet talk a lady,” said Rey sarcastically. “Is that how you begin all your dates?”

“Honestly, I don’t know where my mom got off,” he said. “I’ve never brought a date to this gala, ever. That just sounds like a disaster.”

They stepped into the hallway and were accosted by a bunch of curious freshmen.

“Phones away!” snapped Rey, smacking a couple out of students’ hands as they walked through. “No one will take or post pictures or else I’ll report you to the school!”

She pulled him right into the staircase, not bothering to wait for the elevator. She regretted her choice immediately as she hobbled down the stairs in her shoes. Ben laughed at her, but eventually gave her an arm to help her.

“I’m a little hurt that it’s apparently not just me you like to yell at,” remarked Ben as they made their way out of the building.

“I think you should replace ‘hurt’ with ‘embarrassed’ that I would need to treat you like a freshman.”

“Now I’m curious about TA Rey. Do you pass anyone?”

“Unfortunately, I have to.” She scowled. “We have a curve.”

The limo driver helped Rey into the backseat and Ben slid in beside her.

“I’m grateful I never had you as a TA.” He shuddered.

“That would have required you to take poly sci,” said Rey. “Which I can’t even imagine.”

He leaned in close to her. “Would you believe I took poly sci 101 freshman year? It was my first major.” He pulled back and scoffed. “My mom picked it. It was awful. Bunch of pretentious students who cared about politics, so everyone knew who I was, who my mom was, who my grandpa was. My professor expected greatness. I was out of there.”

“Someone expected Ben Solo to care, and he didn’t. Fancy that.”

“If I don’t care enough, people eventually stop thinking I will. Take tonight. My mom already has zero expectations of me, hence–” he pointed at Rey – “the babysitting.”

“This may shock you,” said Rey. “But I’ve never been to a gala. What are we supposed to do?”

“It’s a bunch of hobnobbing, and little else,” said Ben.

“But it’s for charity, right?”

“I mean, if you want to see the event in the most positive light, that’s it. There will be an obscene amount of money raised in the silent auction, but everyone is getting something out of it, you know, courtside Lakers tickets, entire vacations, etc.”

“Do people dance?” Rey was nervous.

“Some do, why?”

“I’ve never danced before.”

“Never?”

“Not with a guy, no.”

“What about, like, prom?”

This made Rey laugh. “My school didn’t have a prom.”

“Oh.” Ben looked confused. “Is that just an American thing?”

“No, some schools do. Just…not mine.”

“Okay.” He didn’t ask more. “Well, I won’t be dancing, and if you’re supposed to be my little leech all night, I guess you won’t be, either.”

They pulled up to the event and already, Rey could see flashes of photographers and a boisterous crowd. Ben sighed loudly.

“I should have swiped a drink from one of your freshmen instead of boxers,” he said. “Nah, on second thought, they’d only have shit beer. The sooner we get past the red carpet, the sooner I can start drinking.”

“You are not getting drunk on my watch,” said Rey. “I’m limiting you.”

The driver opened Ben’s door.

“Let’s just get this over with,” he muttered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The gala was supposed to be in this chapter but I got a bit carried away with all this silliness.


	8. September Part II

Rey trailed behind Ben inconspicuously as he posed for a few photographers. His smile could only be described as a grimace.

She caught up to him and leaned up to whisper in his ear.

“Would you at least attempt to smile?” she hissed. “You look like you’re getting your prostate checked.”

He lowered his head to whisper back.

“Feminists are always complaining about men asking them to smile,” he said. “Double standard, much?”

He pulled away from her before she could respond with a satisfied smirk on his lips.

A reporter was trying to flag Ben down. Rey discretely elbowed him in the ribs.

“Mr. Solo,” said the reporter, once Ben had finally begrudgingly looked her way. “Do you have any thoughts on your mother’s new economic plan?”

He had thoughts on it all right, thoughts that Rey had been lucky enough to hear all about a couple of days before.

“This is a strictly apolitical event,” said Ben. “But if you’d like, I’d be happy to tell you about ALS and why our family chose to raise money for its cure this year.”

“Mr. Solo!” Another reporter called out. “Your grandparents started this foundation fifty years ago. How do you honor their legacy?”

“Bail and Breha were amazing philanthropists and true pioneers,” said Ben. His voice was noticeably tight, but perhaps only to Rey. “I wish I had had the chance to meet them. I hope they’d be proud that we’re continuing their most important life’s work.”

“Your grandfather was a Senator, and now your mother could be our next president. When can we expect you to run for office?”

Rey’s eyes flew to Ben’s impassive face.

“For now, I’m focused on supporting my mother,” he said. He gave a dismissive nod to the line of reporters, and then turned sharply toward the entrance. Someone called out to Rey, but she ignored them and followed Ben.

“Not bad, Solo,” she muttered as they were looked over by security personnel. “We just might have a politician in you yet.”

He barked a laugh.

“I’m a trained monkey, more like.” He rolled his eyes. “I’ve spent enough time around my mom to have learned a few tricks.”

“Deflection?”

“That’s politics 101 for ya,” he said, smiling at her. “But not something they teach in class.”

“Well you’re a natural,” agreed Rey. “You really step up when there’s something in it for you. Like getting out of there as fast as possible.”

The security guards allowed them to enter into the gilded venue.

“I’ve learned the rule of threes,” said Ben as he guided them through. “If I answer three questions, it makes it seem like I’m willing to engage them, if just for a moment. After that third question, though, I’m out of there.” He groaned. “It was way worse than usual tonight. Some years there’s one reporter. Often there’s none. There were like ten out there.”

“So what now?” Rey cut him off before he began a rant.

Ben looked around at the stylish people standing around and chatting. “You’re looking at it. Just like the fundraisers we go to. Any minute now, someone’s going to come up and act like they’re the father or best friend I never had.”

He was right. As countless men came and gave Ben back slaps and handshakes, Rey found a place to stand out of sight but close enough to listen in to all of Ben’s noncommittal responses, all the “uh huhs,” “yeps,” “you bets,” and “you toos” coming from him like they were the only words he knew.

She wouldn’t admit it to him, but it did seem exceptionally dull.

At one point, the room’s attention turned towards the main doors, where some Secret Service personnel entered, talking into little devices.

“I guess the princess arrives,” said Ben, joining Rey. “Maybe it will get some of these people off my back.”

After a few minutes, Governor Leia Organa swept into the hall in an elaborate black evening gown. The room broke into applause, making Leia wave her hand around impatiently.

Ben snorted.

“That’s rich,” he said. “She’s acting like she doesn’t love the attention. She’s probably been talking to the reporters out there for the past hour.”

“It’s pretty impressive to be the main attraction in a room where I’ve already seen George Clooney _and_ Beyonce,” said Rey, who had managed to enjoy her time babysitting Ben so far by doing the best people watching possible.

“You didn’t see any of those people here when she was ‘only’ the governor,” scoffed Ben.

“It’s what happens when you’re likely the next president.” Rey shrugged.

“Let’s go check out the silent auction items,” said Ben, changing the subject. He stalked out of the room.

“Do you ever bid on anything?”

“Not really. This foundation took a giant chunk of my inheritance, so that’s my contribution, I guess.”

She looked up at him angrily, but she saw that he was at least mostly joking.

“I dare you to bid,” she said. “Might do you some good.”

“This is actually a pretty good array this year,” muttered Ben as they walked around. “Everyone is sucking up to my mom.”

“Even if I had any money, I don’t know what I would do with any of these prizes,” said Rey, stopping at one. “Like, if I won this sailboat, I couldn’t sail it or afford to use it for one day. Or if I won this week at a home in Greece, I could never get myself there.”

“I guess you’ll have to bid on these private jet tickets, then, too,” said Ben. He offered her the fancy clipboard.

“Do you suppose I could write ‘my first-born child’ in this offer slot?”

“They’d probably be unimpressed with your timeline,” said Ben. “I mean, you’re single.”

She laughed and set the clipboard back down.

“So what would you bid on if you could?” asked Ben.

She looked around for a minute before she stopped.

“Ooh, maybe this.” She read the description. “ _An exclusive behind-the-scenes trip to Disneyland, complete with full princess package and no line access to all your chosen characters_.” There was a basket full of memorabilia, Mickey and Minnie ears, and toys.

Ben gave her a bemused look.

“I’m pretty sure that’s intended for someone with _children_ ,” he said.

“I’ve never been to Disneyland,” she defended. “Ryan thinks it’s a grievous sin. He’s mentioned it multiple times.”

“Who’s Ryan?”

“Remember the guy from San Diego?”

“You’re still talking to that lamewad?”

She scowled up at him. “He’s very nice. In fact,” she said haughtily, “we went out again.”

“So why hasn’t he just taken you? Too cheap?”

She tossed her head. “He might.”

“Here,” said Ben, walking over to the table next to them. “I’ll make first bid on one of these. Then I’m almost guaranteed to be out-bid.”

“Who’s the cheap one, now?”

“Like I said, it’s my family’s money putting on this shindig.” He leaned over to read something closer.

She leaned in to see what he was looking at. There was a basket with some signed sports memorabilia and two box seats to a Clippers game. Suggested starting bid was $1000.

“That’ll do,” he said. He wrote his name and bid. “Then if by some chance I win, I’m only out a grand.” He shrugged. “Plus I’ll have tickets.”

Rey bristled. “That was the price of my plane ticket to the States, you know,” she said. “It took me two years to save that.”

Ben set down the pen and looked at her, but they were interrupted by the announcement of dinner.

“Yes!” cried Rey. “I actually have a meal ticket to this event.”

“Glad someone’s excited.”

“Don’t act like you’re too good for food. I’ve seen you tear into a double-double like you haven’t eaten in a year.”

“Yeah, well, they won’t be serving In-N-Out here.” Ben pouted. “Unfortunately.”

For all of Ben’s whining, Rey found dinner to be delicious. They sat at a head table – not Leia’s table, both to Rey’s relief and disappointment – that they shared with the foundation’s staff members and their respective significant others, all whom Ben was already familiar with. Kaydel and Jessika filled Ben in on some of the goings-on at the foundation.

Ben was surprisingly pleasant. Rey nibbled on her strawberry shortcake (“my mom’s favorite,” Ben had explained) while half listening to Ben talk to Kaydel’s husband about Pac-12 football.

The room’s attention turned towards the front, where Leia had taken the microphone. She thanked everyone for being there on behalf of her and Ben, and shared a couple memories of her parents. It was short and sweet and non-political. Ben didn’t even whisper anything snarky during it. Once she stepped down, the music resumed and people began to leave their tables and mingle.

“Good evening, Governor,” said Jessika. Rey whipped her head around to see Leia Organa standing right by her.

“Good evening, everyone,” she said. She nodded towards Jessika and Kaydel. “Everything has been excellent tonight, ladies. You’ve outdone yourselves.”

She chatted politely with them for a few minutes about the event and a few logistics before putting her hand on Ben’s shoulder.

“Come walk with your mother, Benji,” said Leia. “And bring this darling girl of yours, too.”

“She’s not - ” Ben looked at Rey in a panic. All she could do was smirk at him and mouth “ _Benji??”_ He scowled immediately.

Somewhere in the back of her mind, she remembered that Lando at the San Diego fundraiser had called him Benji, too.

“It is lovely to meet you, Rey,” said Leia, ignoring Ben’s sputtering.

Leia had met Rey in Dallas, of course, but she wasn’t about to correct her. Rey stood to offer her hand, but Leia pulled her into a hug.

“You look stunning, dear,” said Leia, stepping back and taking Rey in. “Sabine is a wizard, is she not?”

“She is great,” agreed Rey, who had enjoyed her afternoon with Leia’s sassy stylist.

“Doesn’t she look beautiful, Ben?” asked Leia.

“Uhhh…”

Rey had never seen Ben flummoxed before, but then, she had also never seen him in the presence of his mother.

“Come,” said Leia again. Ben obediently stood and offered his arm to his mom. They walked to the ballroom, Rey following. She listened, amused, as Leia talked to him nonstop, Ben not really getting a word in.

In the ballroom, a few people were dancing. Leia and Ben seemed to have an unspoken arrangement, because without her needing to prod him, Ben took his mom to the dance floor.

Rey slipped to the wall as she watched them dance. Ben towered hilariously over his mom, but it was still sweet. And she had to hand it to both of them. They clearly knew what they were doing.

“Enjoying yourself?” A familiar voice spoke in Rey’s ear.

“Poe!” she said, giving him a hug. “What are you doing here?”

“Amilyn and I scored invites this year. Perks of the campaign, I guess.” He leaned in. “Did you see Beyonce?”

“Yes,” said Rey, laughing. “We’re Big Time, now.”

“What did I tell ya,” said Poe. “You’ve got a ‘in’ with the Organa family. Leia is so pleased with you.”

“I don’t know why. I don’t feel like I’ve done much.”

“You’re doing plenty,” Poe assured her. “And look at Leia. She seems happy.” He sighed. “It’s pitiful that Ben needs someone to force him to attend things, but at least his handler is you.”

“He says he comes every year.” Rey had no idea why she was defending Ben, when he had been at the beach just hours before. “I don’t think he appreciates his mom ragging on him constantly.”

“It’s what he deserves,” said Poe with a touch of anger. Rey let it drop, and the two were silent for a minute.

“Shall we dance?” asked Poe, holding out his hand to Rey.

Rey’s heart stopped.

“I, um, don’t really know how…”

“You’ll be fine,” said Poe. He took her hand and led her out, showing her where to place her hands. He made a joke that had her laughing, which helped relieve some of her tension. A few couples away, she noticed Ben watching her quizzically. When they caught eyes, she made a face that said, “look what I’m doing!” He gave her a half-smile before returning his eyes to his mom.

It was just Poe. It was fun. They chatted lightly about his recent travels and the professor that Rey was TA-ing for. Before she knew it, the music ended and the room filled with soft, polite applause.

Somewhere in the corner of her eye, she saw Ben’s tall head slip out from the crowd and book it up some staircase.

“Got to go, Poe,” she said, touching his arm. “Thank you for the dance.”

She quickly made her way up the same staircase as Ben, eventually finding herself on the roof. Ben was leaning against a wall, staring out into the distance.

“You can’t just sneak away like that,” she scolded. “I’m supposed to stay with you.”

“You’ll be pleased to see that I’m not burning the joint down or mooning the guests,” he said drily without turning. “I just needed some air.”

Slowly, she approached him and leaned against the same wall. She followed his gaze to the purple sky.

“It’s so pretty here at night,” she said. “I couldn’t believe it when I first moved here.”

He finally looked at her, amused. “You know it’s the pollution, right?”

She chuckled and nudged him with her elbow. “Ben Solo, the environmentalist!”

He scoffed and shook his head, but the corner of his mouth was turned up.

“That was nice of you to dance with your mom,” she said.

He shrugged. “We always do. I can’t get out of it. Perils of my birthright, I guess.”

“Well, I thought it was lovely. Your mom was clearly pleased.”

He smiled a little before his face hardened. “It was fine until she had to start talking about my dad.”

Rey had never heard Ben mention his dad before. Carefully, she touched his arm.

“I’m sorry,” she said.

Ben took a deep breath and let his shoulders drop. His eyes found the sunset again, and he talked without looking at her.

“We always have the gala at this same place, you know,” he said. “It was my dad who showed me how to get up here. He hated this gala more than I do, I think.” He chuckled. “When I was eighteen, I remember he sneaked some champagne up here for me, since my mom had told all the waiters not to serve me. He told me I was allowed to drink at my first college party.” He laughed again.

At this, he looked back down at Rey. “I was thinking about that tonight in the dorms. I had only been at Stanford a week before I had to come back here for this damn event. Imagine telling all the guys you had just met and wanted to be friends with that you had to miss the first weekend because you had to go home to your mom’s gala.”

He paused and stared at a couple people below them who had walked out into the garden.

“I feel you a little there,” said Rey, breaking the long silence. “Not about the gala, of course, but I told you it took me two years of saving to come to school. Then I got here, money drained, and needed a job immediately. I got this early morning custodial job on campus. The girls on my floor figured out pretty quickly they didn’t want to hang out with a girl who had to wake up at 4 AM.”

“I can’t imagine working a job like that as a freshman.”

“Well, you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do.”

“I guess.” Ben paused again. “I’m glad I came that year, though. This gala was the last time I saw him. I went back to school and he died a few weeks later.”

He turned fully to her.

“I’m sorry about this afternoon,” he continued. “That was kind of a dick thing to do. I just – I just needed to clear my head before this stupid event.”

“Did you used to surf with your dad?” she asked softly.

He cocked his head a little, eyebrows furrowed, and nodded. He returned his gaze to the sunset, and gripped the top of the wall tightly.

“You miss him.”

“I mean, yeah, wouldn’t anyone?”

“I don’t know,” Rey confessed. “I never knew my dad, but my mum told me he wasn’t worth missing.”

Ben gripped the wall harder. “I’m sorry, I didn’t know.”

“It’s whatever.”

Beneath them, the music from the ballroom spilled out into the gardens. They must have opened the doors for some air.

“Do you want to dance?” asked Rey, attempting to sound cheerful. “I mean, I’m an expert now.”

He grinned and raised an eyebrow at her. “You sure about that? Cause I could see you, you know.”

“Maybe I just need a teacher.”

“All right.”

He took her hand and they stepped away from the wall. Rey actually had to lift her hand onto Ben’s shoulder, whereas Poe had been eye-level with her in her heels.

Ben took the lead, and she was right that he knew what he was doing. Even as novice as she was, she felt like a real ballroom dancer as Ben swept and twirled her around. They both laughed whenever she stumbled, but then Ben would pull her up and it was like it had never happened. When the song swelled to a close, he spun her one more time and then lowered her into a low dip.

He straightened her up, and she smoothed her skirt, laughing.

“I’m impressed, Solo,” she said after catching her breath. “Who knew you had charm?”

“Plenty of women, I assure you.” He winked at her, and she rolled her eyes. “ _That_ ,” he continued, “was better than anything you would have experienced at prom.”

“All right, _Benji_ ,” she said. “Take it down a notch.”

“Do not call me that.”

“Mmmmm, I think I like it. It’s cute.”

He scoffed. “That nickname never should have made it past age three.”

“I think it suits you, Benji boy. You act like you’re three often enough.” She went to slap him on the chest but winced as she clumsily fell against him instead. “Ow, my feet are killing me! Damn these torture shoes!”

“Well, we’re probably good to go,” said Ben. “I think we’ve fulfilled our duties enough.” He helped her down the stairs like he had at the dorms.

“Hey, wait,” said Rey as he steered her toward the exit. “They’ve closed the silent auction. Let’s see what the final bid on yours was.”

They found his clipboard and Rey started laughing immediately.

“Looks like Solo is solo!” she said, admiring his lone name on the list.

He stared down in disbelief.

“You should have gone for the Lakers instead,” she said, indicating another package with plenty of bids.

He shook his head. “Whatever. I’ll pay Kaydel later. Let’s get out of here before anyone else talks to me.”

They drove back to the dorms. Ben followed her up to her room to get his surfboard.

“Wow, I’m sober enough to drive home,” said Ben, arms loaded with his clothes and board.

“Is that usually a problem?”

“I definitely drank way less than usual,” said Ben. “And yet, the night wasn’t completely horrible. Both are thanks to you, I guess.”

Rey punched his arm and tried not to smile.

“You’re welcome,” she said. She leaned out her door. “Now the hallway is clear. Go home. Night, Benji.”

“Good night, Scavenger.”

 

* * *

 

 

The next day, Rey endured countless comments about Ben from students as she sat through her long shift in the dorm front office. Word traveled fast, apparently.

She waved her hand impatiently at each person, happy that she was moving out forever in just a few days.

_To_ _where_ was still a question. Mostly she just needed a place to leave some of her stuff since she and Ben would be on the road a lot.

Other than the teasing, she didn’t have to interact with the students a lot that day, so she worked hard on a final paper for one of her last ever college classes. It was a surreal thought, but definitely a welcome one.

On the table, her phone buzzed with a phone call from Rose. Smiling at the distraction, she picked it up.

“Hey Rose! What’s up?”

“I should ask you that!” she said. “What is going on with you and Ben Solo?”

Rey groaned. “What have you heard? _Please_ don’t tell me the kids have been spreading rumors on twitter.”

“It’s more than that, Rey.” Rose’s voice sounded cautious. “Have you seen anything online today?”

“Not unless it’s related to benevolent sexism,” she said.

“Huh?”

“My research paper topic.”

“Oh. Well, maybe you should google yourself instead.”

Rey and Poe had googled her name a few weeks before, as part of a screening process for the campaign. There wasn’t much besides a little used facebook page and one article from a debate tournament in high school.

Nervously, she typed “rey niima” into the search bar on her laptop.

_Ben Solo and Rumored Girlfriend Make Splash at Organa Gala_

_Ben Organa Solo Reportedly Dating Campaign Staffer_

_Five Things to Know About Rey Niima, Future First Kid-in-Law?_

She clicked on the first article. It featured a picture of her and Ben on the red carpet, she hissing in his ear to smile and he smirking back. At least, _she_ knew it was a smirk. Through another lens, he looked…happy.

“Rose,” she said slowly. “I’m going to have to call you back.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One of my kids just got her tonsils out, so if you liked this, please let a very bored, house-bound mama know. :)


	9. September Part III

“Rose,” she said slowly. “I’m going to have to call you back.”

“N-n-n-n-n-no!” cried Rose. “N-n-n-no no! Do not hang up! You need to tell me what’s going on!”

“There is NOTHING!” Rey’s frantic voice drew a couple eyes her way, so she lowered her voice. “I don’t know why this is happening.”

“You guys looked pretty cozy there on the red carpet.”

“I was telling him he looked like he was getting his prostate checked!” She sighed and slumped in her hand. “Who leaked this? Did the kids on my floor tip them off?”

“Why, what happened?”

“It’s stupid; they all gave me a hard time when they saw Ben in his towel.”

“ _What?_ ”

“No, it’s not like that!”

“Sure sounds like it’s ‘like that.’”

“He was just getting ready here because we were running late. It’s a long story.” She really hoped there were no photos of them at the dorms in these articles. “His mom asked me to accompany him last night, you know, _to keep him in line._ Nothing more.”

“K, can we rewind a bit and discuss how you never told me you were going to the Organa Gala? And no selfie yesterday in that amazing dress?” Roses sounded put out. “Friends tell each other these things.”

Rey didn’t really know how to have friends.

“I’m sorry,” she said. “I’ve been so busy this week with the semester wrapping up and campaign stuff.”

“Yeah, why are you still in school anyway? Most schools finished in August.”

“UCLA is weird.” Rey drummed her fingers on the table anxiously. “Okay, Rose, I’m sorry but I really do need to go. I need to get to the bottom of this.”

“What are you going to do?”

“I don’t know! I’m a nobody. ‘ _Five Things to know about Rey Niima_?’” She read off one of the headlines. “I can’t even think of five things worth knowing about me.”

“Give yourself some credit,” said Rose. “There’s plenty worth knowing about you. The most important thing they’re missing though is that you actually hate Ben Solo.”

“I don’t hate him.”

“Oh?”

“I said I didn’t hate him; I didn’t say I love him.”

Rose laughed. “Fine. I’ll let you go. Just, keep me in the loop, okay? Obviously I can’t trust what I’ll read about you online.”

“Will do. Bye, Rose.”

Rey hung up and took a minute to breathe before she started clicking on articles. There really wasn’t a lot that the reporters were saying. It was clearly all speculation. Even the “five things to know” articles barely scratched the surface. She was from England, she was about to graduate from UCLA, she was a political science major, she worked on Leia’s campaign, she worked on campus.

She was grateful that she mostly kept to herself and had no online footprint.

Well, not before today, anyway.

A couple of the articles included a viral tweet from one of the boys on her floor saying that Ben had been there the night before. She clicked on his main twitter page and saw that he had tweeted excitedly this morning about how many followers he had gained overnight.

She snorted. He’d lose a ton in the next while when his bandwagoners realized he didn’t have anything else to offer them.

However, Rey was able to deduce that it wasn’t the tweet that had set off the reporters, though.

It was Leia.

Apparently, Ben had been right about his mother chatting with the reporters the night before on the red carpet. But Rey had expected Leia would have talked about her campaign, or the gala, or the foundation.

Not _them._

Of course, Leia probably had talked about those other things, but none of that stuff got quoted online. The stuff that mattered. Nope. All anyone seemed to care about was that when Leia was asked who the “lovely lady” was with Ben, she had responded, “That is Rey Niima. She’s been good for my son.”

Such a tiny thing to say, but the reporters had taken her inch and run a mile. Combine that with the knowledge that Ben had been in her dorm that night, and BOOM.

Click bait magic.

She returned to the google homepage and saw that there was a new article.

_“Leia Organa Further Addresses Her Son’s Relationship”_

The article included a video of Leia being accosted at LAX just hours before. Someone yelled out, “Governor! Can you comment on the alleged relationship between your son and staffer Rey Niima?”

As she walked, Leia said, “I think you’ll agree that it’s not a mother’s place to comment on her son’s dating life.” Then she winked.

Rey slammed her laptop shut and snatched up her phone to dial Poe. He answered after a couple rings.

“Hey, Rey.” His voice sounded fake-cheerful. “How are you?”

She scowled. “I’ve been better.”

“So you’ve seen?”

“Yup. Was anyone going to inform me that I have a boyfriend?”

Poe sighed. “Look, I’m here with Amilyn now,” he said, referring to Leia’s campaign manager. “We’re discussing it.”

“Well, I’m glad you’re discussing it,” said Rey testily. “Have you seen the new video of Leia at the airport? She as good as confirmed it! If we say anything else, it will make her look like a liar.”

“To be fair, Leia has never actually said you guys are dating.”

“What kind of political trick is this?” Rey was reeling. She felt like she was caught in the middle of some kind of sneaky machination.

“Look, Rey. In a campaign as high profile as this, tabloids can be your ally or your enemy. This story is a harmless distraction. Gets the public engaged, interested, talking about us.”

“Wait, wait.” Poe’s words were sinking in. “You’re not actually suggesting we…play along?”

“What is playing along, really?” asked Poe. “I mean, you two will be seen together plenty over the course of the campaign. No one will confirm anything, and you guys don’t need to, I don’t know, kiss or whatever. Then the press can speculate to their hearts’ content and the public can gobble up a bunch of nonsense.”

“This is my life, Poe.”

“You wanted to work on a presidential campaign. It means being adaptable.”

“Okay, but that should mean changing travel plans or being prepared with last minute speeches, not _faking an entire relationship!_ ”

“Are you seeing anyone right now?”

“Well, no. So?”

“So you’re not going to be dating much over the next two months anyway, being on the road and stuff. Then, after election day, we’ll just let the story fizzle out. In the end, no harm, no foul.”

Rey groaned. “Okay, let’s say I went completely bonkers and agreed to this. You’re missing a giant element here. This does not just affect me.”

“Ben’s been involved in his mother’s campaigns for decades. He knows what goes on behind the scenes better than most people. He’ll see the benefit of this.” Poe paused. “Or you’ll convince him.”

Rey was starting to understand Ben’s cynicism.

“And what is the benefit?” she asked.

“Leia jumped three points in polling today,” said Poe. “Three. That is huge. Somehow, Ben dating a cute, plucky campaign staffer is appealing to the public. Especially Leia being excited about it. It makes an otherwise very, errr, elite family seem much more relatable.”

Rey sighed, long and deep. “This is absurd,” she said.

“I know.”

“I hate you.”

“That’s understandable.”

“And you’re upping my pay.”

“You got it.”

She sighed again. “Fine. I’m doing this for the good of the country. And because you guys are helping me get my visa. I mean, people get fake _married_ to stay here, right?”

“That’s the spirit!”

“Shut up, Poe.” She hung up and set her phone down.

She had a few more hours on her shift, and then she needed to talk to Ben.

The thought made her stomach turn. Last night, she felt like they had had a sort of breakthrough. Rey had a feeling that Ben didn’t talk about his dad to just anyone. And back here at her room, he told her that he had fun with her. If she was entirely honest, she had fun, too.

Ben still drove her nuts, but she realized that she had begun to think of him as her friend. What would this do to them?

Ben hated the spotlight. This would draw more attention to him. And what if… what if he was embarrassed that people thought he would date her? There was no way she was his type. Rey tried to tamp down what should be an unimportant thought, but it tugged at her.

Had he seen the news? She hadn’t heard from him all day, but that wasn’t unusual.

She set her mind back on her paper. She needed to focus. Ben could wait. This whole ridiculous, disastrous situation could wait.

\--

As soon as her shift ended, Rey submitted her terrible paper. She was graduating, anyway. Who cared at this point?

She texted Ben to ask if he was home. He responded almost immediately, simply saying “Yep.”

Yep. _With a period._ Oh, he had definitely seen the news.

She ordered an Uber that she damn well would be submitting for reimbursement and went straight to Ben’s.

 

* * *

 

She was walking into Ben’s building when some random guy jumped out and took her picture. Shaken, she picked up her pace and practically ran into the safety of the building’s elevator. When she got to Ben’s apartment, he let her in much faster than usual and shut the door firmly behind her. She looked up and nervously met his eyes.

“Hello girlfriend,” he said.

“I’m not your girlfriend,” she snapped.

“Oh, really? I’ve heard otherwise.”

“Yeah,” she said, wincing. “I guess we’re stuck, huh?”

He didn’t say anything.

“Just so you know,” she said weakly. “Some paparazzi got my picture while I was walking in here.”

His face darkened.

“I swear I had nothing to do with this!” she blurted out. “I only found out a little while ago, from my friend.”

“Did I accuse you of anything?” Ben crossed his arms against his chest. “And, I know. My mom set them off. She probably planned the whole thing.”

“But why?”

“The tabloids love it.” He shook his head. “She knew it would make a splash.”

“That’s so…calculated,” said Rey, wrinkling her brow. “And unfair to both of us.”

“Never meet your heroes, kid,” he said flatly, before collapsing on his couch. A football game was playing on his TV.

Rey cautiously sat down next to him, reaching for his remote to mute the game. She took a steadying breath.

“Poe wants us to roll with it,” she said, biting her bottom lip.

“What does that even mean?”

“Not much, except just not dispute the rumors.”

“So, like a fake relationship? Just let people believe what they hear?”

Rey could feel her cheeks turning pink. She babbled, parroting some of Poe’s words. “I guess so, yeah. We’ll be together a lot over the next while, and it helped your mom jump in the polls today, and Poe thinks that after the election, we can just move on and no one will be the wiser. You know, no harm, no foul.”

Ben frowned. “That doesn’t seem fair to you. What about the guy you’re seeing?”

“Huh?”

“Disneyland guy.”

“Oh, right.” Rey flushed. “Um, yeah, you don’t need to worry about that. I told him I was too busy to date right now.”

“But you weren’t too busy to date me,” said Ben, smirking. “I wonder if he’s seen the news.”

She hadn’t even thought about that.

“What about you?” she asked. “This isn’t fair to you, either.”

Ben leaned back casually. “Whatever. I learned a long time ago not to pay any attention to what anyone said about me. I probably wouldn’t have even seen if I hadn’t gotten a text from one of my buddies at my firm. And this?” He pointed between the two of them. “Is not nearly as bad as what they could be saying.”

So he was embarrassed. Her face fell against her will.

“I didn’t mean it like that!” he said quickly. “It has nothing to do with you. I just meant that it’s not true.” He nudged her in the ribs. “If anything, I’m ashamed that anyone knew that I showed my face in a dorm building. They did include your age in these articles, right?”

She laughed at that.

“Ben Solo, the cradle robber!”

“I don’t think the campaign would have been so keen for us to go on with this if you were much younger,” said Ben, chuckling. “But, ugh, now the world thinks I’m dating someone involved in politics. On my mom’s campaign, no less.”

“It almost looks like you care about your own mother’s run. What a tragedy.”

“It really is.”

“Okay.” Rey kicked her shoes off and curled her feet under her. “So we’re doing this?”

“According to you, there’s not much to do.”

“You know what I mean.”

“Yes, we can keep looking like a couple so my mom can keep winking at reporters and looking like a doting mother.” He rolled his eyes. “Do we need to do couple-y things?”

“Like what?” She didn’t want to admit that she had no idea what that entailed.

“I don’t know, kiss, hold hands?”

By now, she knew her face had gone from pink to fire engine red. “Oh no, Poe said we don’t need to confirm anything, or kiss, or anything. So you’re off the hook.” She managed a little laugh that came out like “heh-heh-heh.”

He gave her a wry side-eye, before they both turned to the sound of the doorbell.

Ben jumped up and came back a minute later holding two bags of food. He handed one to her.

“I hope you like pad Thai,” he said.

“You got me dinner?”

“You asked if I was home, so I figured you were coming to confront me about all this,” he said, shrugging. “And I didn’t want you to eat mine.”

“I don’t know why you keep accusing me of being this ravenous beast,” she said, even as she snatched the bag from him eagerly and tore into it. “I like food. Everyone does.” She pointed at him. “I mean, you like food, and you hate everything.”

“I don’t hate everything,” he said, grinning. “Just most things. And most people.”

“Well, excuse me,” she said, her cheeks full of noodles. “But thanks for this.” Ben turned the sound back on the TV. They watched in silence for a while as they ate.

“Do you like either of these teams?” she asked.

“No,” he said. He cracked a smile. “Incidentally, I hate both of them.”

“Shocker.”

“But the Steelers play tomorrow, so I’ll cheer then.” He looked at her. “My dad was from Pittsburgh.”

“What brought him all the way out here?”

“The Air Force. And then my mom, I guess.”

They fell back into silence and stared at the TV.

“I really don’t understand American football,” she said after the crowd started cheering for no apparent reason.

“Don’t call it that. It’s so pretentious.”

“I think I get a pass since I’m actually British.”

“I thought you were trying to be an American. Talk like one please.”

“You sound like one of those xenophobic assholes who throw fits when something is written in English and Spanish.”

“Hey,” he said, raising his hands. “I didn’t say anything like that. But football is sacred. On American soil, football is football, and soccer is soccer. It should be written on Ellis Island.”

She giggled. “If only you brought this kind of passion to the campaign. Or if your mom was campaigning on Xbox and sports nomenclature platforms.”

His eyes crinkled. “You know, in one misguided attempt to impress my mom when I was in middle school, I ran for student government. I ran entirely on a campaign to have the cafeteria stop serving bagged grilled cheese sandwiches.”

“And?”

“And I won.”

“So did you get rid of them?”

“Ha, no.” He laughed. “Apparently students don’t have a lot of say when it comes to school lunches. But hey, a few years later, I was able to include ‘leadership experience’ on my applications for college.”

“Oh, _very_ impressive.” The TV crowd cheered again. “Okay this! This! I don’t get it! Why did the crowd cheer? He fell down!”

Ben looked at her. “Oh wow, you weren’t lying. I thought maybe you’d need me to explain pass interference or something. Not a freaking first down.”

“I am not from this country!”

“You’ve lived here for four years!”

“I’ve been busy with school.”

“Right, because it’s rare for college students to watch football. So rare, in fact, that there’s an entire college football _league._ ”

“All right, wise guy, explain the game to me.”

“So the offense gets four chances to get ten yards…”

A couple hours later, Rey was yelling at the screen.

“Come on!” she cried. “That was a terrible throw!”

“You literally just repeated what the commentator said,” said Ben, laughing at her. “You’re not fooling anyone.”

She threw some chips at him and he pretended to duck. While he was down, he grabbed the remote and turned off the tv.

“Game was basically over anyway,” he said. “You can’t fault the quarterback for just gunning the ball.”

Rey yawned.

“I’m sorry,” she said. “I stayed up late last night after the gala grading papers. But I’ll be all done before we leave on Thursday.”

“Here,” he said, standing. “I’ll take you home.”

“You don’t have to do that.”

“I can’t have you get ambushed by paparazzi. It’s fine.”

They were nearing campus when Ben suddenly turned to her. “You’re almost done with the school, right? Where are you moving to?”

“Oh!” Rey tugged on the end of her hair anxiously and took a breath. “I don’t actually know.”

“You don’t know?”

“I was thinking about asking the dorm manager if I could use a basement closet to store my stuff while we’re on the road. I don’t have much. When we’re in town…I don’t know.”

“That’s silly,” said Ben. “You can just stay with me.”

Rey’s heart sped up.

“Really?”

“Yeah, I mean, like you said, we’ll be gone a lot. And I have a home office with a futon if you want.” He shrugged.

“But people might see me coming and going, and assume…” Her voice trailed off, too awkward to continue.

“They already think you’re my girlfriend, right? So what’s there to lose?” He pulled into her building lot and put the car into park.

Feeling overwhelmed, Rey leaned across the console and gave Ben a hug.

“I should turn you down, but really, this is so nice,” she said earnestly. Ben stiffly patted her on her back. “Okay,” she said, pulling back, fighting back tears that came from nowhere. “I have a ton to do to finish out the semester over the next couple days. But I’ll be in touch, k?”

He waved her off and she ran in.

“Hey, I saw you out there with your boyfriend,” one of the kids called out in the building lobby.

She just shrugged.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, your author is projecting her sports biases on Ben.
> 
> Your continued support for this story is so appreciated! <3


	10. September Part IV

Rey only needed three boxes to contain the past four years of her life. As she surveyed her packed room, Rey sat on the edge of her XL twin bed. Now stripped of all bedding, the old mattress displayed old stains that no one would want to consider. Rey barely noticed. She had slept on worse.

She remembered when she had found out that she had been awarded a special scholarship for indigent foreign students at UCLA. It had been an enormous blessing, since she knew she didn’t have the kind of financial support that the US government liked to see when awarding student visas. There had been a couple of British schools that had accepted her, but something about moving overseas and having a clean break from her past was everything she dreamed of.

Her English co-workers and flatmates had been excited for her that she would be moving to shiny, exciting Los Angeles. Rey hadn’t cared, though. She knew she’d be working hard to maintain her scholarship, not hanging out at Hollywood or the beach. If anything, she had been annoyed that she had to move to a city that seemed to be as unreasonably expensive as London. 

Living in the dorms had never been ideal, especially as an older, unsocial student, but for four years, it had provided her a sense of home and stability. Now she would be essentially homeless, if not for the first time. 

Some of the students who had come by over the years had commented on how barren her room was. She usually made some kind of a joke about it being easier to clean that way. The truth was, she had never really had anything to fill it. She didn’t have a lot of disposable income to spend on decor, and wouldn’t know how to decorate even if she had. Her past was not worth revisiting, so she wasn’t going to print and display family photos. She didn’t have any compulsion to plaster her walls with random movie posters from the campus bookstore. The only thing she had had to peel off today was a Leia Organa for President sign that was outdated now that Wedge Antilles had been added to the ticket.

She thought about hanging it in Ben’s apartment to annoy him, but decided not to push her luck. It was kind of him to allow her to stay, especially in the light of all the weird fake dating stuff. He had taken the whole situation remarkably in stride, when she thought about it, lying awake after he dropped her off on Sunday night. Her thoughts had swirled all night. She had plenty to gain from all this. 

Ben, however, did not.

She hadn’t had a lot of time to fixate on the issue since that first night, though. Her past couple days had been a rush of finishing assignments, performing cleaning checks on her floor, submitting grades, and packing up.

Other than a few texts here and there, she hadn’t seen or heard from Ben since Sunday. It made her uneasy, knowing that he had had a few days to think about all the things he had impulsively agreed to. What if he, upon further introspection, had decided that he was crazy to agree to fake their relationship and particularly insane to allow her to move in?

Biting her lip anxiously, she shot off a text to Ben letting him know she was all packed up. It seemed better than one that said, “Hey, is it okay if I still, like, live with you?”

Best case scenario she figured he would say, “fine.” She hadn’t mentioned her moving in since she had seen him in person and hoped he even still remembered.

Just a couple of minutes later, though, she got a text from him that said, “I’m on my way.”

Rey smiled involuntarily as relief flooded her. She had been planning to order an Uber, but this was much better. Now as she waited, she filled her time by perusing piles of people’s cast-offs on her floor, as she did at the end of every semester.

“You really are a scavenger,” came a voice behind her as she dug through a few clothing items a few rooms down from her own.

“Oh, hey,” she said, popping up to meet Ben. “It was really nice of you to come here.”

“At least I won’t have to anymore, right?”

“Guess not.” She led him to her room, chatting as they walked. “I hope you’re okay with what I have. I can get rid of more stuff if I need to.”

“That won’t be necessary,” said Ben, scanning her room once they got there. “You hardly have anything. Is this it?”

“Um, yep.” Rey nudged the side of a box with her toe. 

Ben bent to grab a box, but gave an “oof” and stood right back up.

“What the hell, Rey!” he cried. “What’s in there, bricks?”

“Textbooks. Just the older edition ones I wasn’t able to sell back. And some other things.”

“Haven’t you moved before? You have to put books in smaller boxes.”

Rey shrugged. “I’ve been living in this building for four years.”

“I only have one back, you know,” he grumbled, but he still managed to pick the box up. Rey followed him out the door with another box.

They only needed two trips to get all of Rey’s stuff loaded into Ben’s trunk.

“Is that it?” asked Ben. “Do you have any, I don’t know, good-byes or anything?”

“Let me check my closet one more time,” said Rey. “And then we’ll drop off my keys.”

On her floor, Ben sniffed the air. 

“Ah, burned Hot Pocket,” he said, sighing dramatically. “Brings me back.”

“It’s coming from the common room,” she said, pointing. “Typical.”

To her annoyance, Ben poked his head in the room.

“Don’t use the Tie Fighter for this level,” she heard him say. He took another step into the room.

Five minutes later she was sitting on the common room couch next to Ben, who was playing Silencer with a bunch of freshman boys.

“Can we go?” she hissed at Ben for the third time.

“Just a minute,” he muttered. “I’m showing the boys a few tricks.” He cursed as he slammed a few buttons. “Your avatar sucks so bad.”

“Why don’t you just use your own?”

“No way am I revealing my gamertag to these guys.”

“Why not? These may be the only people willing to hang out with you.”

“I’m not the one who’s been living with them.” He slammed a few buttons and something happened on the screen that made all the boys look back at him in awe. Ben was clearly reveling in it, and Rey shook her head.

“You must be very proud, skipping work to impress a bunch of boys who regularly skip class,” she said under her breath. “You’re living their dream, honestly.”

“For the last time, I’m not ‘skipping work.’ I’m on leave. I have to go back eventually.” He groaned. “I don’t like thinking about it.”

“If your mom wins, maybe you can be First Lady instead.”

“Ah, just like I’ve always dreamed of.”

The TV screen changed to some sort of loading page, and the boys turned back to Ben.

“You’re really good,” said one. “Can I add you to my Xbox Live?”

“Sorry,” said Ben, clearly not. “This is actually Rey’s account.”

All the boys looked at her instead.

“You play, Rey?” asked one, furrowing his brow.

Ben wrapped a big arm around her shoulders.

“She only plays for me,” he said, pulling her in close to his side. She attempted to look impassive, like this was something he did every day.

“I can’t believe you guys are together,” said another boy. “We all kind of thought she had a stick up her-” Ben must have made some kind of face, because the boy shrank back. “Mud,” the boy said instead. “I meant she’s a stick in the mud. I mean, we thought.”

“Oh, she definitely is,” said Ben. He pulled her in again, and leaned into her ear. “But she’s my stick in the mud.”

The boys whooped as Ben laid a kiss on her temple, making her heart sputter. _Three points,_ she thought to herself. _Leia jumped three points in the polls._ She knew Ben was just goading her, so she made sure to smile back at him sweetly.

The game resumed and Ben lifted his arm from her shoulders to focus on his controller. He narrated what he was doing as he played, and the boys hung onto every word.

“They’ve never paid this much attention to me during floor meetings,” whispered Rey to Ben. “If I could ever get them to go in the first place.”

“I wonder why.” Ben pounded a few more keys that ended a round. A few of the boys grumbled and slammed their controllers down.

“Hey, um.” One of the boys addressed Ben nervously. “We’re heading to a party after this. Want to come? Rey can come, too.” A few of the other boys nodded eagerly.

“Sorry, boys,” said Ben cheerfully. “I’d rather shit a brick. But you have fun.” He stood up, handed off his controller, and reached down to pull Rey up. “Let’s get going, babe.”

“Bye everyone,” she said as they walked out. She shook her fingers at the boys before they left the room and added emphatically, “Remember that consent matters! And register to vote!”

* * *

 

“No wonder no one likes you,” said Ben after they had dropped off her keys and climbed into his car. “Squawking at them about consent and voting.”

“Those are both important issues,” defended Rey as she scowled at Ben.

“I didn’t say they aren’t,” said Ben. “But no one wants a condescending lecture from their RA.”

“I thought you were the one who said they had crushes on me.” Rey was almost embarrassed to say it.

“Oh, they do. You’re both older and cute.” Ben shrugged and looked her way. “But they probably hated you too. It happens.”

“Hey, what was that in there?” Rey deepened her scowl. “I thought our plan was to not deny the dating rumors, not actually pretend to date.”

“You’re the one who asked to go on with this charade,” said Ben. “I made it believable. The jealous stares were just a bonus.”

“Oh, that’s very secure of you, needing to establish yourself as the alpha male in the room full of eighteen-year-olds.”

He just laughed.

“And I thought we said no kissing,” continued Rey, still feeling annoyed and a little confused.

“Oh, lighten up, ya stick-in-the-mud,” said Ben. “I kissed you on the cheek.” He grinned over at her. “I don’t think you hated it.”

Rey crossed her arms petulantly. “I’m glad you didn’t tell them where we were going. If it gets out that I’m moving in with you, people will assume that we’re…” Her voice trailed off.

Ben stopped at a red light and looked at her fully. “People will assume what, Rey?”

“You know.” She gestured nonspecifically with her hand.

“Nope, I really don’t.” His smile was wide. “Tell me.”

“That we’re _having sex_.” She could barely get her voice above a whisper.

Ben laughed. “You know, for as much as you call me childish, at least I can say the word ‘sex’ without turning into a seventh grader.”

“Oh, ha ha ha.”

“You realize that people will already assume that, right?” He smirked at her. “But if anyone asks, you can tell them that the sex is good. Because it would be.” He winked. 

“You are such a smug little bastard,” she said, rolling her eyes. “I don’t know why anyone would ask, but if they do, I’ll be sure to tell them that you like to be called Benji in bed. Because it makes you think of your mother.”

“I’ll tell them that you asked if my mom could join in.”

She moaned and put her head in her hands. 

“You liked that one, huh?”

“Shut up, you moron,” she hissed.

“What’s wrong?” Ben’s voice sounded more sincere, so she answered.

“I kind of always thought that my first real relationship would be, you know, real,” she said. 

“You’ve never been in a relationship?”

“Go ahead,” she sneered. “Laugh your head off.”

“I’m not laughing,” said Ben. “I’m proud to be the best boyfriend you’ve ever had.”

“How has my life come to this?” She leaned against the window, wishing the sunny skies would turn gray so she could stare morosely at raindrops. Instead, she watched as UCLA faded away in the distance.

“Wow,” she said after a period of silence.

“What?”

“That’s it. We’ve left campus. I’m...done.”

Ben looked at her. “I’d’ve thought you’d be happy about that.”

“I am, I guess,” she said slowly. “But it’s weird. It’s the end of an era. I’m not a student anymore. I’ve graduated. No fanfare, nothing. We just... drove away.”

“I’m sorry, do you need to-” Ben looked panicked as he pointed back at the school.

“It’s not your fault.” Rey sighed. “I don’t know what I was expecting, really.”

“What about graduation?” asked Ben. “When is that?”

“I was eligible to walk in the spring but what was the point? I didn’t have anyone to go.”

“What about your mom?”

Rey laughed bitterly. “I haven’t seen my mum in about fifteen years. And like I told you, I never knew my dad.”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”

“Oh, really? I thought you knew everything about me,” snapped Rey. “I thought I fit neatly into all your little boxes.”

“Maybe I was wrong about you.” His voice was so soft that she barely heard it above the din of traffic.

“What was that?” Rey sat up straight.

“I am not repeating it.”

“I’m pretty sure,” said Rey gleefully, “that the mighty Benjamin Solo just admitted that he was wrong.”

“I said maybe,” said Ben. “Don’t get used to it.”

“I already am! Hey-” She nudged his arm. “You know the best part of me graduating? I finally get to get paid for putting up with you.”

He whipped his head toward her. “You haven’t been getting paid?”

“Nope. I’m an intern paid on ‘experience.’” She made air quotes. “But it’s not anyone’s fault. I’ve been on a foreign student visa. It comes with all kinds of restrictions. I can only work on-campus, and even then I’ve always had to watch my hours carefully.”

“So what’s your status now that you won’t be a student?”

“Remember Finn, the lawyer that the campaign got me? He’s been helping me transition to a post-graduation practical training visa. So that will buy me twelve months. After that, well, I hope to have a more permanent job. Or I guess if I’m out of options there’s always grad school.” She shrugged.

“Do you want to go to grad school?”

“No.”

“Good call.” He paused. “Couldn’t you get a job in England, though? I don’t know a ton about British politics other than, like, Brexit, but I understand that it’s not just Queen Elizabeth calling the shots.”

“I probably could. But there’s nothing for me there but bad memories,” she said. “No family, no real friends. I don’t want to go back.”

“Well then that’s good news about your visa. I’m sure my mom can help you find work after the campaign, whether in DC or something local.”

“You think she would do that?”

“I’ll make sure of it,” he said. He smirked at her. “Tell me I’m the best boyfriend you’ve ever had.”

“If I get a job out of this mess, I will award you the role of the most adequate boyfriend I’ve ever had.”

“That’s a lot coming from you. I’ll take it.”

They stopped at an In-N-Out for some dinner. Rey reached for her wallet, but Ben stopped her. 

“No way,” he said, pushing her hand away. “You can’t buy dinner on your graduation day.”

She protested, but Ben had the drivers’ side window advantage and just handed the worker his credit card. He waved off Rey’s thanks. 

They were back on the road, eating quietly, when Ben spoke.

“Hey, Rey?”

She quickly swallowed her bite of hamburger. “Yeah?”

He glanced over. “I know things will be busy over the next while, but we’ll do something to actually celebrate your graduation, k? I promise. You deserve it.”

She couldn’t help the giant smile that spread across her face.

* * *

 

Ben lowered the last of Rey’s stuff into a corner of his home office. Thankfully he had been able to drive right into his parking garage, so no paparazzi saw her moving in. Not that she thought that there would be anyone camping out. Their dating news was already a few days stale. It wasn’t like they were movie stars.

“There,” he said, straightening back up. “That’s all of it. How’s the futon?”

Rey, who was sitting on it, wiggled around a little.

“It’s umm…”

“You can just say it’s uncomfortable,” said Ben. “It is. I got it a long time ago when a buddy of mine needed to crash here for a couple weeks. I’ve been meaning to get rid of it.”

“I wasn’t exactly living in the Ritz before this,” she said. He huffed a laugh.

“Well, do you want a tour of the rooms?”

“I’ve already been back here, remember?” She gestured at the hallway. “When I had to get your crap for the gala?”

“I think I’ve made up for that by letting you store all your crap here.” He winked again. “Best boyfriend you’ve ever had, right?”

“You’re also the worst boyfriend I’ve ever had!” she shot back.

She fell back into the stiff seat and groaned. “Ugh, this sucks. I can’t even relish being mean to you because you’re actually being really nice.”

“Oh, I like that,” said Ben. “It’s good to have the upper hand in this dynamic.”

“You do not,” she said. “Need I remind you that your mom is literally paying me to hang out with you?”

Something strange flashed across Ben’s face, something that made Rey feel like she had gone one step too far. Whatever it was, he wiped it off quickly and replaced it with an aloof grin.

“I already showed you how to turn the futon into a bed. We have an early flight and I take long showers,” he said. “Plan accordingly.” Then he spun on his heels and stalked out of the room before she heard his bedroom door slam.

She didn’t see him for the rest of the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The fluff monster in me hates to leave it there, but I needed to stop, as the next chapter kicks off their campus tour. I have their stops mostly planned out based on the 2016 election, but if there's a place/university you're dying for them to visit, feel free to make requests!
> 
> I just had to revisit the freshman boys one more time. That could have been the boys' common room in my dorm building, except it was Halo.
> 
> Thank you all for your support! <3


	11. September Part V

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben and Rey kick off their campus tour

The next morning, Rey woke up extremely early, determined to shower and get ready before Ben would even need to emerge from his bedroom. She was nervous to see him, not sure where they stood after the silence of the night before. She knew she had touched a nerve, and she didn’t want a wedge between them right as they were essentially going to be together 24/7 for the next couple months.

Once she was ready, she sat in the living room messing around on her laptop, listening for sounds that Ben was up early enough to make their flight. It was strange to not feel any guilt for wasting time online. She wasn’t a student anymore.

“Good morning,” said Rey as cheerfully she could manage when Ben finally walked in. 

“Morning,” mumbled Ben. He went straight for his kitchen cupboards and pulled out a bowl. “You eaten?”

“No.” 

He filled his bowl with cereal and then held out the box in offering. Never one to turn down food, Rey packed her laptop and joined him as he leaned against the counter, not even bothering to sit at the table to eat.

“Thank you,” she said through a mouth full of Reese’s Puffs.

Ben shrugged. “Might as well use up the milk.”

He barely looked at her.

“I’ll wash the bowls so they don’t sit while we’re gone,” said Rey once they were finished. Ben nodded and went back to the hallway. “Our ride comes in ten minutes!” she called after him.

Their driver, Eduardo, was way too chatty for six-thirty in the morning, but Rey actually appreciated it as a way to cut into the deafening silence of Mr. Moody next to her. Eduardo, excited by Rey’s accent, talked about his two daughters’ soccer league for the whole duration of the drive to LAX.

“It really is the real football,” said Eduardo.

“You are absolutely right,” said Rey. “It’s such a pity that Americans can be so hard-headed.” She nudged Ben playfully, but he didn’t look up from his phone. She felt a little discouraged by his lack of response. 

It bugged her that she cared so much.

At the airport, they wheeled their carry-on luggage to the security line, where Ben pulled out a pair of sunglasses.

“What are you doing?” asked Rey. “Most people take their sunglasses off when they come inside.”

“I don’t feel like getting recognized,” whispered Ben, leaning in a little.

“You’re literally drawing more attention to yourself by wearing them. This is LA. People come looking for people in disguise. You look like an idiot. Now people are just going to stare to see if you’re Tom Cruise or something." 

“Tom Cruise is really short,” said Ben. “Wait, you think I look as old as Tom Cruise?”

“He’s not that old.”

“He definitely is. I’m pretty sure he’s in his fifties.”

“No way. I bet he’s in his forties.”

Ben took off his sunglasses and raised his eyebrows.

“Look it up,” Rey said haughtily, although she was beginning to seriously doubt her claim. “If I’m right, the stupid sunglasses stay off.”

“Deal.” Ben pulled out his phone and only took about ten seconds before he triumphantly waved Tom Cruise’s Wikipedia page in her face. “He’s 54.”

Rey took advantage of his distraction to snatch his sunglasses out of his other hand and stuffed them into her backpack before he could respond.

“You can have them back when we get to Arizona and you actually need them.”

“You play a cruel game, Scavenger,” said Ben, but he was clearly fighting a smile. They split lines to hand TSA agents their IDs. Rey pocketed her British passport and went through security feeling relieved that Ben wasn’t giving her the cold shoulder anymore.

His improved mood held as they found their gate. He broke off to get some coffee, and when he returned, he was scowling again. When she caught his eye, she gestured at the empty seat by her but he shook his head and remained standing near the front of a line forming.

She rolled her eyes and came up to him.

“Of course you’re one of those people who stand at gates,” she said. “Just sit. You have a seat number right on your ticket. It’ll still be there if you wait.”

“We’re going to be sitting for a while. I’d rather stretch my legs now.”

“It’s like an hour flight. We’re flying to Phoenix, not Australia.”

He didn’t respond. Instead, he silently sipped his coffee with one hand and tapped an angry rhythm against his thigh with the other. She knew should just go back to her seat, but she stayed and let the silence grow thicker between them. After a few minutes, she finally burst. 

“Look, I’m sorry about what I said last night,” she said. 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“You do. The thing about…” Her voice dropped as she looked around. “Your mom paying me?”

“It’s true, isn’t it?” His voice was clipped.

“Ok, but I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings. And now you’re treating me like I murdered your puppy. We’re going to be spending a lot of time together and-”

He looked down angrily at her, immediately cutting off her rambling.

“You know, not everything is about you, Rey.”

He stormed off to toss his coffee cup. Before he made it back, an airline employee came up to him. They talked for a minute, and Ben nodded.

“We got bumped up to First Class,” he said as he came to her side. He dragged his carryon toward the gate and Rey ran to grab hers and catch up.

“Why did we get bumped?”

“I traveled a lot for work, so it might be my status here.” 

The gate attendant took their boarding passes and sent them through. Ben waited until they were onto the gangway before he added, “But more likely they’re sucking up because of my name. That’s probably it since they bumped you too.”

He practically stormed onto the plane. The fact he didn’t hit his head was a near-miracle. He put both of their bags in the overhead compartment like they weighed nothing and then collapsed into his leather seat, waving over a blonde flight attendant.

She came to them with a big smile.

“What can I get for you?” she asked. Not bad, First Class, thought Rey.

“I’ll have-”

“A Diet Coke,” said Rey, cutting him off. “He’ll have a Diet Coke. And me, too.” The attendant stood there, her smile frozen. “Go,” Rey practically shouted at her, waving her hand.

Rey turned to Ben. “Don’t you dare think you’re drinking on this flight,” she hissed. “It’s 8:30 in the morning. And you’re speaking later.”

He scowled. “I need something small to take the edge off.”

“Oh, because you have to speak to a few college students? Poor baby.”

“You don’t have me figured out the way you think you do, you know,” he snapped. 

The airplane started filling in with the unlucky coach passengers.

“Ok, be cool,” whispered Rey. “People can’t see us fighting.”

Ben scoffed. “As if I needed more proof that you’ve never been in a relationship. Couples fight. And they especially do at airports.”

“I won’t.”

“Oh, really?” He cocked an eyebrow. “I’d just love to meet the guy who wouldn’t fight with you. What a pansy that guy would be.”

The attendant returned with their drinks. Over their heads, the pilot’s voice came through. 

“Hello passengers,” said his crackly voice. “It’s, uh, a beautiful day out there. We’ll be up in the air in about ten minutes. Air should be calm today on the way to Phoenix, so, uh, watch for those seatbelt signs to let you know when you can move around the cabin.”

She could see Ben’s fingers tighten around his glass. He took a deep gulp, emptying the glass, and slammed it on the tray table as his other fingers drummed angrily.

“Ok, what is going on with you?” she asked, trying to keep her voice down but feeling beyond exasperated. “So it’s not me, it’s not the rally, then what?”

He leaned back in his seat and sighed heavily, squeezing his eyes shut.

“I- I don’t like flying.”

“What?” She was confused. “You just said you fly all the time.”

“I didn’t say I didn’t do it. I said I don’t like it.”

“You mean you’re scared?" 

He just scowled. Rey tried to wrap her head around this giant man being scared of something as innocuous as flying. 

“Why?” she said, trying not to snicker. “I mean, it’s not like anyone d-” She snapped her jaw shut before she finished the word, mentally kicking herself over and over again. Could she stop putting her foot in her mouth?

“Some people do,” said Ben darkly.

“I’m so sorry, Ben.” She couldn’t believe she had forgotten about his dad. 

The flight attendant came bouncing over and retrieved their drinks. She smiled widely as she babbled on about some of the other drink and snack options, completely oblivious to the tense air in row 2, seats C and D. 

“You don’t need to apologize,” said Ben once Captain Sunshine had left them alone. “You’re right. It’s a stupid thing to be afraid of.”

She didn’t respond. They watched the line of people boarding the plane start to thin out, meaning that takeoff was imminent.

“Hey,” said Rey brightly, turning back to Ben. “I was watching YouTube this morning. Guess what I saw.”

“Do I want to know?”

“Oh trust me, this will be very interesting to you. So last night, your mom was on Jimmy Fallon-”

“No.” Ben’s eyes were suddenly hilariously wide.

“They had a dance off.”

“No.” Ben’s voice was getting louder and more desperate.

“When your mom finished, she _dabbed._ ” Rey tried to imitate by putting her face in the crook of her elbow and stretching out her other arm.

“Rey Niima, I beg of you, stop telling me about this.” He put his hands over his ears.

Rey pulled one of his hands off to whisper in his ear. “She danced to ‘Can’t Touch This.’”

He squeezed his whole face shut. “This hurts. This is physically painful.”

Grinning madly, she cooed, “Aww, wee Benji is embarrassed by his mummy.” She snatched his phone off his tray table. “We’re watching it.”

She was interrupted by the flight attendant’s announcement to put up tray tables and turn off electronic devices. Ben took his phone back and gleefully switched his phone to airplane mode.

“Looks like FAA regulations are on my side today,” he said. “Whaddya know, the government’s good for something.”

“You WILL watch it. I’ll make sure of it.”

“Why don’t you just murder me?”

“You know, normally I’d complain about how the state of politics requires legitimate, intelligent candidates to pander obnoxiously to the voting public instead of talking about important issues, but this is all worth it.”

“All right, you win,” said Ben, holding up his hands in surrender. “I find I’d rather die in a fiery airplane crash than ever see that video.”

She smiled. Carefully, she laid a hand on his thigh.

“I’m sorry I gave you a hard time,” she said softly. “You don’t have to be embarrassed. I understand.”

He looked down at her hand. “Thanks, Rey,” he mumbled. She removed her hand and sank into the comfy leather of the seat, the busy week finally catching up to her. They had already landed by the time she woke up.

 

* * *

 

Arizona was...brown. Next to her in the backseat, Ben insisted she wasn’t seeing the most beautiful parts. 

“Right over there,” he said, pointing to their left, “is Camelback Mountain. I wish we had time to climb it. You can see the whole valley from the top. It’s unreal.”

“Have you been here much?”

“My dad was a pilot for US Airways for a while, and he was based out of here while I was in middle school. I came and visited sometimes.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah, if you keep going east on this freeway you eventually hit this awesome saguaro national forest. Maybe if we have time after the rally we can go check it out. Or the Botanical Gardens.” 

“That’d be awesome,” said Rey, beaming. “You know, this is only the third state I’ve been to. California, Texas, and now here.”

“I’d be happy to take you guys,” piped in the ASU College Democrats president, Jason, who was driving the car.

“Will we have time?”

“Yeah, we have the rally this morning, and then we’re going to have Ben man the voter registration booths for a few hours. After that, we should be able to make the sunset.”

Arizona State University was enormous. Ben and Rey wore the “Get Out and Vote!” tshirts that the school had provided and entered a large arena where music was playing and students were cheering and stomping.

“Now, remember that this is a strictly non-partisan event,” said Jason. 

“We know,” said Rey. “We planned the speech accordingly.”

“Non-partisan my ass,” muttered Ben once Jason had stepped away. “I’m Leia’s son. Who do they think I’m here for?” He made his voice higher. “‘Just vote for whoever you want, kids! The important thing is that you exercise your right to vote and make your young voices heard!’”

“The hilarious part is that you actually don’t care who they vote for,” said Rey. “Even the most jaded in here wouldn’t be expecting that. You out-cynic everyone.”

“It’s a special skill of mine.”

Rolling her eyes, Rey pushed Ben towards the stage where the previous speaker was waiting with the microphone. Everyone cheered as Ben took the stage. He waved a couple times and delivered his little speech about the importance of young involvement in the voting process and reminded them about key dates for voter registration in Arizona. 

It was quick. He managed to turn what was written to be probably a fifteen minute speech into five minutes tops, but she was grateful that he seemed sincere. The crowd sounded appreciative enough.

“Okay, great job,” said Jason, coming back once Ben had left the stage. “We’re setting you up at a table where students can come and register. We hope to get a lot of people registered who want to meet you.”

Ben clenched his jaw and nodded curtly.

“Rey,” said Jason, turning to her. “Maybe you could come with me? I have a few things I’d like to talk about. I’ll send someone over to get Ben set up.”

She went to follow Jason, but Ben grabbed her hand and pulled her back.

“Will I see you for lunch?” he asked before kissing her hand.

She tried to play it cool. “If you _behave_ , you just might,” she said before extracting her hand and stepping out with Jason.

“Have you guys been together long?” asked Jason once they had stepped out a bit.

“Nope,” she said. 

“Okay,” he said after a beat. “Well, just FYI, we’re having lunch with the College Republicans. Like I said, this is a non-partisan event.”

“Sure it is,” said Rey, wondering when she had started to sound like Ben.

 

* * *

 

The rest of their time in Arizona went smoothly. Ben hated every minute he had to help sign up undergrads to vote, but he performed dutifully under Rey’s watchful eye. Their evening was lovely. Jason took them to a fabulous spot to watch the sun set over the valley, and the saguaro cacti were awesome. 

The next day found them in Las Vegas, doing another voting rally. Ben gave his same little speech at UNLV and manned the voter registration booth yet again. Rey sat next to him and teased him at every opportunity.

“You’re getting really good at this,” she said. “I’ll endorse ‘registering college students’ as a skill on your LinkedIn page.”

“If that is what an employer is looking for then I don’t even want the job,” said Ben under his breath before freezing in place as a girl took a selfie with him.

“Be sure to tag us and use the hashtag #getoutandvote,” chirped Rey, smiling broadly at the girl.

“You love this,” grumbled Ben.

Two girls came up to the table and Ben and Rey each handed out a yellow form for them to sign up.

“You two are literally couple goals,” said one of them. “Out there fighting the fight together.”

“Ah, I wish I could find a man who loves politics as much as I do,” sighed the other. Rey had to hold back a choked laugh. “Hold onto him,” she instructed Rey. Turning to Ben, she said, “And I’ll definitely be voting for your mom. She’s like, my hero.”

Ben who had heard that at least a zillion times over the past two days, just nodded. 

“Did you hear that?” asked Ben once they had left, poking Rey in the ribs. “I’m a catch.”

“They _think_ ,” retorted Rey. “I was once so naive.”

“You thought I was a catch?”

“I thought you gave two shits about the state of the free world!”

Someone looked over so Rey busied herself shuffling the papers in front of them. Ben leaned over and touched her arm.

“Hey, once this is all over let’s get dinner on the Strip, alone. I can’t handle another round of get-to-know-yous with more suck-up poly sci majors.”

Rey brushed off the dig. “It’s only our second day on this tour, Benji. Toughen up.”

Still, a few hours later, even Rey had to agree that they needed some space. The students running the events swarmed Ben and Rey, sharing things about themselves that were just thinly veiled resumes.

Ben managed to extract himself from a horde, batted off some offers of dinner, and pulled Rey aside to show her an Uber he had ordered. They went to a restaurant in a hotel on the Strip that their driver had suggested.

“This city is tacky as hell,” remarked Ben, looking around him. He had said the same thing as they were driving to the hotel, as he identified all the various themed hotels and attractions. Apparently he was a grizzled “bachelor party veteran.” But no matter how much Ben disparaged everything, Rey had been fascinated by everything they saw. 

Now, however, was a different story. Their restaurant was right next to a casino, and the lights and noises drifted over to their table. Anxiously, Rey twirled her hair around her finger as she tried to tune out all the sensory overload.

“Are you okay?” asked Ben.

“Yep!” she chirped. She tried to center her focus on her fish and chips, but ordering that had been a mistake too. What had she been thinking? She took another bite that she had trouble swallowing. Without looking at him, she knew Ben was watching her curiously.

After a minute, she pushed away her meal, told Ben she just wasn’t hungry, and that she’d be outside.

“No, no, you stay and enjoy,” she said quickly when he stood to follow. She walked until she was out of sight, before practically breaking into a run and bursting through the gilded doors. It was a beautiful, warm fall evening, and she sat on a bench watching the Bellagio fountains in the distance.

“It’d be a pity to eat inside on a night like this,” said a voice behind her. She turned to see Ben holding up a to-go bag.

“I said I wasn’t hungry.”

“See, that’s when I knew something was up,” he said, sitting beside her. “I’ve never seen you not hungry, not ever, not once, doesn’t matter the time or if you’ve eaten already.”

“I hate what I got,” Rey muttered.

“That’s okay, we can trade.” Ben offered her his box with a mostly uneaten burger inside. She opened it and started eating, embarrassed but grateful. As they ate, a crowd gathered around them.

“Must be time for the show to start,” said Ben, gesturing at the fountains. They watched through the whole beautiful show. After it was over, Ben tossed all their trash and sat back down. 

“Wow,” he said. “Don’t think I’ve ever seen that sober. But it was good.”

“I really don’t want to hear about your Vegas exploits.”

He chuckled softly, and they returned to silence. 

“You know I haven’t seen my mum since I was nine,” she said softly. Ben turned to her but didn’t say anything. “So then I had to move to my uncle’s house. Well, I think he was actually my mum’s cousin. I don’t know. The system tracked him down. He hated it, and I hated it. I guess you could call him my foster father, because he was getting paid to raise me.” 

She tried not to let the last two words sound bitter, but she couldn’t help it.

“Anyway, a couple times a week he hosted a poker night for his disgusting, sleazy friends. It was awful. The flat was filled with cigar smoke and everyone was drunk as a skunk. We lived near a fish and chips place, and I had to bring it for them. They leered at me. Called me darling. And worse.” She shuddered. “But the worst part was that he sucked at poker. He lost so much money, our rent money, our money for heat, for food.” She laughed weakly. “So I guess that’s why I like food so much.”

Ben wasn’t laughing, though.

“I’m sorry we went to a place where you could see all that,” he said. 

She tried to shrug casually. “I thought I could handle it but I guess I’m not as strong as I thought.”

“The past affects us. Look at me. I’ve flown hundreds of times since my dad died but it doesn’t seem to get easier.”

She smiled appreciatively.

After a minute, Ben spoke. “You know what I really want to do right now? Pop-a-Shot.”

She scowled at him. “Drinking is the last thing I want right now, you wanker.”

“No,” he protested. “Not shot like-” He mimicked throwing back an alcohol shot. “Shot like-” Then he mimicked something else with his arms that she couldn’t decipher. 

“Huh?”

“Shooting a basketball. Pop-a-Shot is the arcade game where you shoot basketballs.”

“You think there’s an arcade here?”

“Maybe.” He looked around like he’d suddenly see it. “I mean, for the kids, right?”

“People bring kids here?”

“I guess. There’s an M&M World.” He pointed at a family in the distance, lined up to have a good view for the next fountain show. “Look, there’s some kids right there. I don’t think they’re going to the gentlemen's club.”

“ _Gentlemen’s_ ,” sneered Rey. “All right,” she said, “you find an arcade and you can show off your Pop-a-Shot skills.”

“Found one,” said Ben, showing her the Yelp! app on his phone. “Apparently there’s an arcade in the basement of Excalibur. Shall we?”

“Ok.” She grinned and followed him down the street to the hideous, medieval themed resort. Inside, Ben looked around at the various posters.

“I can’t believe I didn’t think of eating at Medieval Times,” he said, pointing at a banner. “You’re _supposed_ to eat with your hands there. It would have been perfect for you.”

“Shut up,” she said, pushing him. They found the stairs and went down a floor where they found their arcade.

“Aha!” said Ben, pointing across the room to the large basketball game. They went to the front desk and paid for tokens.

Ben was actually really good at Pop-a-Shot. After every round, he gave her a self-satisfied smirk as the tickets shot out of the machine.

“You’re only good because your arms are, like, level with the hoop,” said Rey. She noticed a couple kids standing nearby. “Ok, Michael Jordan, let’s let someone else have the machine.”

They played Skeeball. Ben was as bad as her, so that was comforting. Unsurprisingly, they didn’t stay there long.

“Ah, pinball,” said Ben, coming upon another machine and giving it an affectionate pat. “This here’s the good stuff.”

He deposited a token and the balls queued up in the corner.

Rey watched him as he played, hilariously bent at the waist to reach the two controls. Once a ball went down, she pointed at his hands.

“So these machines always looked so complicated to me,” she said. “But all you do is control these two things?”

“That’s it,” said Ben. “Takes video game reflexes.” He cracked his knuckles and went again. He was decent and seemed satisfied enough with his score when the last ball dropped.

“You know, that doesn’t look hard at all,” said Rey. “I bet I could do it.”

“Oh really?” Ben gave her an incredulous look. “I’d love to see you try.”

“It’s just pushing those two buttons. A monkey could do it.”

“Should we make this more interesting?” he asked, leaning in. Then he popped back up, looking horrified with himself. “I mean, not betting money obviously,” he said in a sort of panic, “but maybe, like, a friendly wager?”

“Ok.” She thoughtfully steepled her fingers. “If I win, you not only watch all your mom’s late night appearances, but you have to retweet them with something about how funny they are.”

“Oof.” Ben made a face. “Good one. If I win, you find a way to get me out of that NPR interview you keep bringing up.”

“Deal.” Rey shook his hand.

Ben took a picture of his score. “K, you tie or beat that, and you win.”

Ben showed her how to pull the lever to shoot the balls. All three balls fell into the pit almost immediately after she started their rounds.

She looked up to see Ben looking delighted. 

“Not that easy, huh?” he taunted.

“I think I’ve got it now,” she said, flexing her fingers. “That was a warm up. Double or nothing?”

“You’re crazy.”

“I win, and not only do you repost your mom’s videos, but you film your own response video dancing to ‘Can’t Touch This.’”

“All right, and if I win…” He tapped his chin a few times. “You know what? Not having to do that is prize enough.”

Rey deposited another token and took a deep breath to get into the zone. Memories flooded her as she manned the controls with skill and finesse. Finally, finally, the last ball dropped and her score flashed, significantly higher than Ben’s had been. Then and only then did she allow herself to look up at Ben. He was staring at the screen with wide eyes and his mouth gaping open.

“You just got HUSTLED,” shouted Rey, slapping the side of the machine in glee. “I know how to play pinball, you idiot.”

“Where did you learn to do that? That was not beginner’s luck. You’re the worst gamer I’ve ever met.”

“I can play games that don’t involve confusing 3D graphics,” said Rey. “My neighbor growing up was this eccentric widow. Her husband had had this pinball machine in their living room and I think she couldn’t bear to get rid of it. She was lonely, or maybe she just felt bad for me, but she let me come over all the time and play it.” She paused. “I actually did that a lot during poker nights, so this feels eerily like coming full-circle.”

“So yeah,” Rey continued when Ben didn’t respond. “I got pretty great at pinball.”

“I’m actually very impressed.”

“Not as impressed as I’ll be when I see you dance in those MC Hammer pants!” cried Rey, drumming on his chest with her fingers.

Ben groaned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Many years ago, my husband and I once spent a whole afternoon trying to find Pop-a-Shot on the Vegas Strip. (pre-smartphone era, so it took a while) We party hard.


	12. September Part VI

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to the Hot Tub

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I know we're all reeling from the trailer last night, so I don't know if anyone cares about this little AU right now. But I'm going on vacation in a few days so I'm trying to get a couple updates up before I go. My goal is to finish this whole thing before TRoS comes out!

Ben was tired of their campus tour before it even started. It took Rey a little longer, but she got there too.

It wasn’t that she wasn’t fascinated by it all. A few days in, and she had already flown more in that week than she had in her entire life. She was seeing places she had never expected to see. In eight days they had gone from Arizona, to Nevada, to Colorado, to New Mexico, to Texas, and now they were spending the weekend in Florida. 

But she was tired. Every campus rally was essentially the same. Ben did a good job at each one no matter how much he complained before emerging in public. She’d never admit it, but she was already beginning to feel for him a little. The travel and repetition was tedious.

Thank goodness for voter registration deadlines that meant that their tour would end after a couple more weeks. And Ben and Rey had plans for their return to LA. In Albuquerque, Ben had about fallen over dead when Rey told him she had never seen “Breaking Bad.” 

“We’re bingeing the whole thing as soon as we get home,” Ben had said.

“You would watch a show you’ve already seen?”

“Allowing me to watch it with someone new is a gift to me,” he replied excitedly. “You don’t even have to get me a Christmas present.” His face turned panicked. “Not that, you know, you would. Get me a present.”

Their local campus representative jumped in then to tell them that there was so much more to their beautiful city than a television show. 

They had allowed the indignant man to show them around the city, and they wandered through Old Town and ate a delicious local lunch that had turned into a photo op for some gossip rag.

Everyone in every city assumed that they were dating. Ben and Rey expertly neither confirmed nor denied what anyone said, but even she had to admit to herself that they looked pretty couple-y in various photos that popped up online. Ben loved to tell Rey that their little charade was more valuable training in being a politician than she had received in four years of formal education.

He was probably right. It was a little depressing.

Colorado had been Rey’s favorite place. She had fallen in love with the Rocky Mountains. A couple of the students from the school took she and Ben on a mountain hike in the gorgeous fall colors that she would never forget. Ben had begrudgingly admitted in a whisper that it was lovely, but she knew that he wanted to push the people who were with them off the edge.

It was a pattern. Every time someone local invited them on an outing, Ben looked like he wanted to murder them. But for some reason, he always came.

Now they were settled in their hotel rooms in Tallahassee, Florida for the whole weekend, not needing to go to campus or work until the school’s voting rally on Monday. Ben had promptly shut down her idea of going out canvassing, telling her that he needed to do laundry. Apparently, in his world, that meant bagging it up for the hotel to deal with, so it wasn’t that great of an excuse. But it had been such a taxing week and a half that she decided to let him off the hook. 

And hey, at least he had made up an excuse instead of telling her that he’d rather jump off a bridge than knock on one door. So that was progress.

After Rey had washed her clothes in the hotel’s laundry room (like a peasant), she enjoyed a few hours of quiet watching her room’s television. Ben hadn’t mentioned anything about dinner, so she left him alone for the evening and ordered room service.

Finally, by late evening, she was feeling antsy enough to leave the hotel room. For the first time in ages, she put on the bathing suit she had bought for her move from London to LA. It was still in depressingly good shape. Considering she had bought it at Asda, that was really saying something.

It was raining, so she opted for the indoor pool area. She turned on the jacuzzi jets and sat on the top step, sighing in bliss as the hot water surrounded her. 

“Enjoying yourself?”

Ben’s voice behind her nearly made her jump out of the water. She turned to see him standing near the door, sweating in gym clothes with headphones around his neck.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you,” he said. He pointed at the hotel gym, visible through a glass wall. “I saw you come in.”

“It’s okay,” she said. “I was just lost in thought.” She gestured at the jacuzzi. “Want to join?”

He glanced down at himself. “I’m pretty gross.” He wasn’t wrong. His long hair was in sweaty tendrils and his shirt was sticking to his chest.

“Mmm, good point.” She pointed up at a list of whirlpool rules on the wall next to her that she had read in the absence of someone to talk to. “This says you’re supposed to take a shower before getting in here.”

“No one ever does that, you know.”

“Maybe you don’t.”

“Did you?”

“Well, no…”

“I rest my case.” He looked down at himself before continuing. “Here, lemme run up and rinse off and I’ll come back. As long as you’re willing to disobey the rule that says you can only stay in for 15 minutes.”

“I think I can handle a little prolonged heat exposure.”

Ben returned in record speed, wearing only a pair of swim trunks. She had seen him shirtless before, in a towel at her dorms, but had been far too embarrassed by everything to really take him in. He hadn’t always been that muscular, had he? He must have looked extra swole right then thanks to the fact that he was just working out. But had he always been that broad _?_

“What?” Ben asked, looking at her with a smug expression.

She snapped right out of the daze she found herself in. “What _what?”_

“You were staring.”

“Oh, it’s just-” She pointed at him. “You missed a spot shaving your chest.”

He looked down in a panic.

“Made ya look.” She grinned at him.

Ben shook his head at her and slid into the water across from her. “So how did you spend your afternoon off?”

“I watched TV.”

He nodded. “I tried to, too, but it felt like there was a campaign commercial every two minutes.”

“Did you see the horrible one where Mon Mothma shakes hands with those coal miners?”

“‘We’re ‘Coal’ with Mothma?’” He shuddered. “Yikes. Worse, though, was my mom talking about the importance of funding public education and training our ‘future leaders.’ I had to love that little bit about the damaging effects of vouchers for charter schools.”

“What’s wrong with that?”

“You think I ever went to public school?” He scoffed. “My mom may say some pretty things about investing in public schools but she doesn’t have a moral leg to stand on.”

“You know what? I don’t care how hypocritical it is as long as there’s results,” insisted Rey. “I had to attend some of the worst schools in London. It would have been great if the government had taken an eager interest in improving them, no matter what they were doing with their own kids.”

“The problem is, their expensive property taxes are funding public schools. But if their own kids aren’t going there, guess what? They’re going to balk when their taxes go up to educate other people’s kids.” He shrugged. “It’s just the way it is.”

“You know, some people care about ‘other people’s kids.’”

“I didn’t say they didn’t. It’s just been proven time and time again that when it counts, even the bleeding-est hearts aren’t very willing to put their tax money where their mouth is. People are inherently selfish.”

She wished she had a great retort, any good anecdote she could throw back at him about the government, or anyone really, looking out for little Rey. There wasn’t much.

“All the more reason to implement some moral authority in Washington,” she said. “I want people in there who will force the issue, force humanity to pay up and equal the playing field. I want the world to be a different place for the next Rey.”

“That’s admirable,” he said, nodding sympathetically. “Just not very realistic.”

“So you would do _nothing?_ You’d just shake your head at the injustice of a widening wealth gap and then stick it in the sand?”

“I pay my taxes. I vote, even for candidates you would approve of. I donate to charity. But I’ll leave the endless political warzone for people like you and my mother. It’s not for me.”

“Don’t you argue for a living?”

He laughed a little. “I mean, yeah, I guess. But insurance defense is hardly the same thing.”

“It’s exactly the same!” she cried. “You’ll stick up some zillion dollar corporation that could afford to litigate for years against some, some, some old lady who got hit by a car and has no money for her insanely high medical bills.”

“Or maybe said lady is actually a fraudster who has hired a shady lawyer working on commission, so she doesn’t have to pay him until she gets some enormous settlement from this ‘zillion-dollar corporation’ that - guess what?- now has to lay off some of its employees.” He leaned in. “Look, you may not consider insurance companies to be victims, but it doesn’t mean that fraud is any less immoral. Stealing is still stealing whether you take from a struggling mom and pop store or from Wal-Mart.”

“And Ben Solo’s job to figure out whether this injured old woman is lying?”

The jets to the hot tub suddenly shut off, making the end of her angry sentence especially loud and echoey. She couldn’t help but start laughing. Ben’s lips curled up.

“You’ll be happy to know that most of my work involves companies against companies,” he said. “Not many David and Goliath cases come through my door.”

“This is a weird hot tub conversation,” she said.

“I wouldn’t know. I don’t usually ‘talk’ in hot tubs.” He smirked smugly.

“TMI, Casanova,” she said, splashing him in the face. “Hey, how does your mom feel about your job?”

“How does she feel about every single thing I do? She disapproves.” He shook his head. “I mean, not really, but when I was in law school she had this whole list of firms I should apply to that could help me eventually with a career in politics. That’s as hilarious now as it was then.”

“Was there ever a time you wanted to be a politician? I can’t even imagine it, but I mean, your grandfather, and your mom…”

“It’s the Organa family trade,” said Ben. “But, no. When I was a kid I wanted to be a pilot, like my dad. Somehow that seemed a lot cooler.” He laughed bitterly. “Now look at me. Scared to fly as I parade around from state to state on the election trail. My mom’s a lot braver than me I guess. Her parents died in a terrorist attack and yet she still followed in their footsteps.”

“Everyone responds to tragedy differently.”

“Maybe.” He pointed at her. “Look at you. You’ve come from all sorts of adversity. But you’re a college grad, on track to an impressive career. That says a lot about you.”

Rey bit her lip, gazing down. “Thanks,” she mumbled.

Ben slid over a little closer to her. “I do care about people in need, Rey.” She looked at him skeptically. “You know, before the campaign ramped up, I volunteered most weeks at a free legal clinic. Anyone could come in and get some advice. I usually helped people who were injured somehow and didn’t know what to do. Like your old lady.”

“Really?”

He nodded.

“Your mom must be really proud of you.”

Ben slid back a little. “She doesn’t know.” 

“Why not? You could talk about your experiences in your speeches, on your social media…”

“Why do you _think_ I haven’t told her? Because of this!” He gestured madly at her. “You’re just like her. I don’t want it to be...to be a _thing_. I don’t want it to be a political maneuver. It’s just something I do because it’s a good thing to do. That’s it. Not everything has to make a statement.”

Rey was silent.

“I probably can’t go back anymore, especially if my mom wins,” he continued. “It’d be too much of a distraction to have the president’s son there. Plus it would probably affect some sort of political neutrality clause, I don’t know. The point is, my anonymity is shot. It was bad enough when she was governor, but it’s so much worse now.”

He waded over to the steps and pulled himself up by the railing, his trunks sticking to his thighs. Rey tried to look anywhere else.

“I’m getting hot,” he said, before jumping into the pool next to them. She turned to see him swimming a few laps. 

When he popped up after a bit for air, Rey called out, “It’s funny to watch you. You only swim like three body lengths before you hit the wall.” 

He smiled and slicked back his hair, before swimming to the wall closest to her. “Water’s great. Jump in.”

She climbed out of the hot tub and walked up to the edge of the pool. Carefully, she dipped her toe in. The water felt icy after the heat of the jacuzzi.

“Not on your life,” she said. “You’re crazy- oh!”

Ben had reached up and pulled her right into the cold water. She landed sideways, limbs kicking everywhere. Her heart rate spiked as the water engulfed her and she only just managed not to take in a deep panicky breath underwater. Flailing wildly, she tried as hard as she could to get her head above water.

Strong hands pulled her up. 

“Rey! Rey! You’re okay! You’re okay!”

She could hear his voice but his words weren’t registering through her gasping breaths.

“Rey! Look at me! Rey! You’re safe!”

Finally, Rey pulled her eyes open. Ben was holding her, looking down at her, eyes wide. He was only waist deep in the water, which is when she realized that her legs and arms were both tightly wound around his hips and shoulders.

Slowly, she pulled her head back a bit. She went to lower herself, feeling a bit silly now that she realized she’d be able to stand in the water, but Ben held her tight.

“Are you okay?” he asked worriedly.

She took a few deep breaths and nodded. “The water,” she gasped again. “The water…”

“I know, I know, I’m sorry.” He lifted a hand from her back to brush some hair off her forehead, the surprisingly tender gesture helping her breathe normally.

After a few moments, he lowered his hand down her cheek and their eyes met. The air shifted and she felt something heavy between them. She didn’t move, completely frozen inside, but also warm despite the chilly water. His hand moved down to join his other hand and he hoisted her up a little higher. They were nearly nose to nose now. She could never be certain, but she could swear he moved his head a teeny bit closer.

Loud voices filled the echoey pool room as three school-aged children came crashing in and kicked off their flip flops.

“Cannonball!” yelled one, jumping right in. His brothers followed.

Rey immediately scrambled out of Ben’s arms, finding her footing on the pool floor.

“What the _hell_ man?” she hissed, shoving him in the chest. “You could have killed me! I don’t know how to swim.”

“Yeah, I got that,” said Ben. “Why don’t you know how to swim?”

“I’m sorry that the council houses of England don’t have inground pools,” snapped Rey. 

“You live in southern California.”

“Yeah, to go to school.” She climbed out of the pool. “I’m freezing, thanks to _you_.” She dunked her body back into the jacuzzi just long enough to reheat her body and then snatched a hotel towel off a stack.

Wrapping it around her, she grabbed her phone and room key and left the room, ignoring both Ben’s confused look and the boys’ mom apologies.

Her heart raced all the way to her room, where she jumped right in the shower and attempted to talk herself down from a near panic attack. What was that? She was about 95% sure that if that moment had gone on any longer, Ben would have kissed her. And the worst part was, she was pretty sure she would have let him.

What insanity was this? It was Ben. Over and over, Rey repeated out loud all the things about Ben that drove her crazy, enjoying hearing them reverberate through the acoustically sound tub. His incessant teasing, his contempt of politics, his selfishness, his arrogance, his laziness…

Somewhere in her brain, a little devil’s advocate had a counterargument to each of her complaints. She had to admit she liked him - as a friend. Honestly, he was maybe the best friend she’d had in a long time, maybe ever. That said a lot more about her than him, though.

By the end of what was possibly the longest shower of Rey’s life, she had decided that what had happened between she and Ben was nothing more than a physiological response. They were two young, hetero, nearly-naked, opposite sex people in a prolonged suggestive position. It was only natural that they would start thinking...non-platonically. Surely Ben didn’t think of her that way, same as she didn’t think of him that way.

She didn’t, right?

Completely flustered, she dressed and crawled into the crisp hotel sheets and turned on CNN. It must have been a slow news day because they were showing the tiny “U Can’t Touch This” clip that she had made Ben film in his Austin hotel room a couple nights before. It was only about five seconds long and did not include any harem pants, but she had been surprised that he actually came through. Annoyed at the universe, she quickly switched to TBS, which was playing a romcom. The couple argued, and then kissed. She turned the TV off and yanked the covers over her head, desperate to sleep.

 

* * *

 

The next day, she looked out her window to see that it was still raining heavily. She sighed in relief. A couple of days ago, Ben had proposed the idea that they could take a quick road trip to the beach since they didn’t have plans. But being in a bathing suit again with Ben seemed like the most awkward way to spend the day. Dangerous, too.

9:10 AM to Ben>> _Hey, looks too rainy to go to the coast. I think I’ll go help set up for the rally tomorrow._

He never responded, either still sleeping or just ignoring her. She took the hotel shuttle to campus, and connected with some people she had been emailing over the past while.

It was afternoon when she got a call from an LA number she didn’t know.

“Hello, this is Rey Niima.”

“Rey! It’s Sabine Wren.”

“Oh! Hey!” said Rey, smiling, fondly remembering the spunky woman who had styled her for the Organa Gala.

“Listen honey, we need to talk about Tuesday’s debate. I’ll of course be in North Carolina getting Leia ready, but she wants me to do you, too.”

Rey wrinkled her brow.

“Really, why?” She was planning to wear her suit to the first debate between Leia and Mon Mothma, but hadn’t thought about it much beyond that. Her focus was on making sure that Ben showed up and looked supportive.

“Those lights will wash you right out and the cameras will pick it up for the whole nation to see. There’s something like five thousand journalists coming to UNC to cover the debate.”

“Lights? Cameras?” Rey was getting nervous.

“Yeah, you and Ben are sitting front row, right behind the moderators. You need to look sharp.”

“Well, Ben is.”

“No, you both are. Leia told me. And hey, you didn’t tell me before the gala that you were going _with_ -with Ben. You both looked fab in those pictures I saw.”

“I, uh…”

Sabine cut her sputtering right off. “So you tell your man that I need to steal you away for a while before the debate. I’ll text you the details. When do you fly in?”

“Um, tomorrow night, after we’re done here at Florida State.”

“Perfect. Talk to you soon. Bye, honey!”

Rey looked at the phone in her hand, call now dead. She wanted to talk to Rose. She needed to talk to Poe. 

She really needed to talk to Ben. Did he know they’d be paired up at the debate?

They were going to have to play happy couple for the entire country. 

“Hey guys?” Rey called out to the room. “I’ve gotta go. Something’s come up.”


	13. September Part VII

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The First Presidential Debate

On the shuttle back to the hotel, Rey texted Ben.

2:50 PM to Ben>> _Hey, I’m headed back to the hotel and I’m starving. You eaten?_

His response was almost instantaneous. 

2:50 PM<< _I could eat. Just come to my room when you get here._

His message wasn’t suggestive. It really wasn’t. But she couldn’t help the blush that hit her cheeks. Once again the image of her wrapped around his bare chest filled her mind, and she tried to tamp it down. 

What if he wanted to talk about it? She couldn’t let that happen. 

Once, when she was a freshman, she went on a date with a guy who sat next to her in her science GE course. She had been worried they’d have nothing in common, so she printed a list of first date conversation topics off the internet. So many of them had focused on background and family, which was a no-go, so she ended up at a list of “unconventional” date questions. She’d never forget his look of confusion when she blurted out a completely left-field “Would You Rather” over their water glasses.

It hadn’t been a great date. There wasn’t a second. And on Monday morning in class, she found that he had changed seats.

There were plenty of things she could talk to Ben about. If things got awkward, she figured she could always mention Playstation. That’d get him ranting for a while.

“Hey!” she said brightly when Ben opened the door to his hotel room.

“Want to come in?” he asked, stepping back a little.

“No, that’s okay! I’ll just wait here!”

Ben stared at her for a second, and then nodded. A minute later, he came out and shut his door.

“What are you in the mood for?” she chattered. “The rain let up, so we can walk to a couple places I saw on this block.”

“Uhh, whatever.”

A few minutes later, she was sitting across from him in a booth of a small Chinese place that he had agreed to with a shrug. They fell silent after they ordered. After a minute, Ben put down the napkin he was fiddling with.

“Hey, Rey, about yesterday-”

“We don’t need to talk about anything,” said Rey quickly.

“I was just going to say that I’m sorry I pulled you in. I was just messing around.”

“Well, it’s fine now,” chirped Rey. “Nothing happened. Everything’s good.”

“Okay.” Ben nodded. “But...”

“Would you rather be attacked by a giant snake or an angry piranha?” 

“What?” He stared at her.

“It’s a stupid hypothetical,” she said, waving her hand around impatiently. “Would you rather be attacked by a giant snake or an angry piranha?”

“I heard you fine, but why?”

“Just making conversation.”

“All right, then.” He didn’t say anything for a long time. Then he spoke thoughtfully. “It’s just one piranha? They’re only, like, this big.” He held up his thumb and index finger. “The real harm is when there’s a bunch of them attacking together. So obviously I’d choose the piranha.”

“Fine, I’ll change it. Would you rather be attacked by a giant snake or a bunch of angry piranhas?”

He smiled a little and rubbed his chin, deep in thought.

“Is the snake venomous?” he asked.

“I don’t know.”

“So you’re going to make me make this monumental decision without all the facts?” He tapped his chin. “Well, if it’s a giant snake, it’s probably not venomous. I know that cobras can get pretty big, but most of the largest snakes are constrictors, like boas or anacondas. So if they can’t kill me instantly with one bite, I might be able to hurt them enough before they could squeeze me to death.” He paused. “Wait, do I have any weapons?”

She laughed. “I don’t know. Um, let’s say that you have a switchblade.”

“Wow, you really are from the streets,” said Ben. “ _‘Switchblade_.’ That’s pretty telling that that’s the first thing you thought of.”

Shrugging, she said, “I’d think twice before crossing me.”

“I’m starting to think I’d rather fight both a snake and a million piranhas before you.”

“Why, thank you,” said Rey, bowing her head appreciatively.  

“Okay, well, let’s think about the piranhas. I’d be in water, so that adds a layer of vulnerability. Anacondas swim, too, though. Can I assume that the snake is on land?”

“Uh, sure.”

“I guess I’m going to have to say I’d rather fight the giant snake. There’s only one mouth with teeth, and I’d be stabbing it with my _switchblade_. I think I could take it.” He flexed his arm and looked fondly down at his bicep.

She rolled her eyes. “Only you could be so arrogant as to think you could out-muscle an enormous anaconda.”

He flicked his fingernail. “I work out.”

“You don’t say.”

He grinned. “What about you?” he asked. “Which would you fight?”

“You know, I never thought I would say this, but I agree with you. That was a pretty impressive analysis.”

“I’m the product of a very expensive legal education.”

“I’m glad it’s getting at least some use during your ‘leave,’” she said, drawing out the last word derisively. 

“I’ve got one,” said Ben. “Would you rather always feel like you have to sneeze, or have the hiccups all the time?”

They carried on through dinner, eventually consulting their phones for more hypotheticals. At some point, she saw Ben check his watch over their empty plates, and she still hadn’t discussed what she had come for.

“Hey, uh, speaking of debate…” It was a terrible transition, but she rolled with it. “Tuesday is your mom’s debate… in North Carolina…”

He nodded. “I’m aware.”

“So, um, I just found out that…”

“That…”

“That for some reason, your mom wants me to sit by you for it. You know, right up front, for all the cameras.”

“Ah.”

“It’s weird, isn’t it?” She rushed on. “I mean, we’re not, like, married. I’m not family. I’m just your g- I mean, they think I’m your girlfriend. Obviously, I’m totally not.” She winced. 

“It’s a little odd,” said Ben thoughtfully. “But the public must be eating up content about us, or else my mom wouldn’t have done it. Everything she does is calculated.”

“The girls in your DMs hate me,” Rey blurted out. “To them, I’m that ‘fugly British bitch’ you should ditch.” He looked confused for a minute, and then burst out laughing.

“If that’s true, I hardly think that’s representative of the population at large.”

She shrank in her seat, embarrassed.

“I don’t know why they think that would win me over,” he said, chuckling. “Insulting my girlfriend.”

“I think they have about ten brain cells between all of them. So, your type.”

“Looks like you’ve figured me out.” He shook his head.

“Clearly your mom wants us to play it up,” continued Rey. She took a deep breath. “So should we, like, I don’t know, hold hands?”

“I think that’d be okay,” said Ben, nodding. “What about a kiss on your head or cheek?”

She tried to keep her face neutral and not at all like she was imagining it. “Um, yep, that’s fine.”

He leaned across the table. “I need to know, if some disaster happens, do I have permission to lay a big one on you?”

“To what?”

“Kiss you.”

“Oh!” She clenched her hands under the table. “Yeah, sure, you know, if it’s an emergency.”

“It’ll be good to have you by me, honestly,” said Ben. “These debates are painfully boring.”

“Well, we’ll be on camera. It’s not like we can, I don’t know, give Anderson Cooper bunny ears or something.”

He barked a laugh. “Now there’s an idea. Hey, uh-” He checked his watch again. “The Steelers are about to play. Want to come watch? Now that you’re an expert on real football.”

“American football. The players don’t even use their feet.”

“The kickers do.”

“Pshhh.” She was about to agree to come over, when she froze, thinking about fifty awkward interactions that could come from sitting on a hotel bed with Ben. “You know what,” she said slowly. “I think I’ll just rest in my room. Big week ahead, you know.” She didn’t look at him while she gathered her wallet and keys.

“Can’t believe you’d rather watch CSPAN than the Steelers beat the Eagles.”

 

* * *

 

The Steelers lost, badly. Ben spent the majority of the Florida State rally hate-reading sports twitter and ESPN, which would normally annoy her but today, his distance felt welcome. Their time at the event was truncated, anyway. Some of the speakers went longer than their allotted time, meaning that Rey and Ben didn’t have time to register students to vote, a fact that instantly cheered up Ben. In fact, things felt almost normal between them in their ride to the airport.

Once they had gotten through security, Ben suddenly grabbed Rey’s hand and pulled her to the side.

“Listen,” he said. “Every journalist in America is coming to North Carolina. They’re going to be everywhere, the airport, the hotel, no matter where we go. It’s their job to know who I - we - are. And every single one of them is looking for clicks. They’re going to be hungry for any nugget they can get. Are you sure you’re okay with this?”

Rey swallowed. “Yes.”

“Okay, but tell me if you’re ever uncomfortable or it gets to be too much, promise?”

“I promise.” She furrowed her brow. “What about you?”

“My fate was sealed a long time ago,” he said grimly.

She dropped her gaze to the floor, unable to look at the expression on his face. He hated this. 

“C’mon,” she said. “You already gave your speech today. You have time to get a drink before the flight.”

“So kind of you to allow me this, Your Highness.”

“Your wish is granted,” she said in her poshest accent, bowing dramatically. Then she touched his arm gently. “I know these flights are tough for you.”

“Yeah.” He met her eyes. “But they’ve been better with you.”

As they went off in pursuit of a bar, she begged her traitorous heart to stop fluttering.

 

 

* * *

Sabine Wren was really an odd person for Leia to have chosen as her personal stylist. Even though she was probably around Leia’s age, she had short, spikey, pink hair, multiple piercings, and plenty of visible tattoos. She wasn’t someone you’d expect to style a politician who wore conservative pantsuits and elaborate up-dos to every event.

Sabine was good at what she did, though. When they met on the day of the gala, Sabine had immediately had a sit down chat with Rey, in an effort to gauge what Rey was like, “stylistically.” Somehow, Sabine had taken Rey’s “umms” and “I’m not sures” and came back with a stack of gowns that she adored at first glance.

Leia had called her a “wizard,” and it was true.

“Okay,” said Sabine, rubbing her index fingers together, after she and Rey had small talked for a minute. “I’m planning on putting you in a dress, is that okay?”

“Sure?”

“Great. Leia’s going to be in blue, but with you being right in front, it’d probably be best if you blend in a bit. So I got you black.”

“You already have something?” 

“Of course, honey.” Sabine pulled a garment bag out of her hotel room closet. “I just used your measurements from the gala.”

The dress fit Rey perfectly.

“You look like Jackie Kennedy,” Sabine said. “Isn’t that fitting?”

Rey admired the soft black dress. It had a wide neckline, 3/4 length sleeves, a pleated waistband, and a flared skirt. But she balked at Sabine’s words.

“Ah ah ah,” said Rey, shaking her finger. “I am the politician in Ben’s and my…” She paused. “In our dynamic.”

Sabine laughed. “All right, noted. Politician, politician's wife, politician’s future daughter-in-law, doesn’t matter. You look great however you swing it.”

Rey bit her lip. “Right.”

“Leia approves. I showed it to her this morning and she talked all about how gorgeous you’d look in it.”

“Really?”

“Of course. She adores you, you know,” said Sabine as she held a necklace around Rey’s neck. She stared critically at the two of them in their mirror before tossing it back on the bed. 

“I’ve only spoken to Leia for like, thirty seconds ever,” said Rey, not knowing if she should keep that quiet.

“Well, apparently you made an impression. And anyone who can keep Ben happy is a winner in Leia’s book, I imagine.”

“Did she say that?” Rey blurted it out before she could think twice. “That Ben is happy?”

Sabine paused her rummaging through a cosmetics bag and looked up thoughtfully. “Maybe not, but how could he not be?” She reached up and flicked Rey’s cheek playfully. “With a cute, sharp girl like you?”

Rey laughed weakly.

Thankfully, Sabine changed the subject and cheerfully gossiped about the LA fashion scene while she did Rey’s hair and makeup.

“Lucky for you, you only have to do this once,” Sabine told her. “I got Leia made up this morning, but I’ll redo everything before the big shindig. And then I’m sure someone else will touch her up before going out there. Those cameras are cruel to us women. I’ll be looking to see how Mothma looks! I can’t imagine her stylist being better than moi.”

Finally completely dressed, made up, and stumbling around on fancy but classic black pumps, Rey went to lean in and give the kind lady a hug before leaving.

“Nuh uh, I won’t have you ruining my hard work!” cried Sabine, jumping back. Instead, she gave Rey a couple air cheek kisses. “You tell that boy of yours not to destroy my work either! He can hold out for a couple hours!” She slapped Rey’s bottom and Rey blushed scarlet.

“Um, okay, I’ll tell him.”

Sabine laughed wickedly. “Oh how he’ll both love and hate me. Bye, honey. Good luck!”

She had no idea.

 

* * *

 

 

Of all the romantic things that Sabine had probably imagined Ben would say when he saw Rey, it didn’t seem likely that “hey look, we match!” topped the list.

“Uh, yeah,” said Rey, looking him over in his crisp black suit. “At least your white shirt and red tie help us not look quite as much like a mortician and his wife.”

“Nah, you look more like a politician’s wife.”

“Ugh, that’s basically what Sabine said, too!” she said, smacking his arm. “‘Politician’s wife’ just assumes the politician is a man.”

“Didn’t you just assume a mortician was a man? I could be the mortician’s husband. Who’s the feminist now?” He held out his hand for a high five. Rey slapped it away.

“I don’t think you could talk a corpse into marrying you.”

“Ooh, careful there, Madam Undertaker.” Ben lowered his voice. “Remember the media spies surrounding us.”

“Sabine told me that they were all strictly forbidden from posting from unauthorized zones.”

“That’s true,” said Ben, “but that doesn’t mean I trust anyone.”

He put his hand on her back and led her out of the hotel lobby to where their car was waiting. 

Once they were driving, Ben turned to her in the backseat. “I didn’t tell you, but you do look beautiful. The camera’s going to love you.”

“I hope not,” said Rey, attempting to hide her fluster. “Then they’ll pick up on all the eye rolls that I’m sure you’ll do no matter how much we’ve talked about it.”

“Hey, you’re the one who told me I had to stop wearing sunglasses inside.”

“Oh forgive me for telling you that you look like an idiot, like a freaking Kardashian or something.”

“I went to high school with Rob, you know.”

“Who?”

“Rob Kardashian. He’s their brother.”

“Oh.” She frowned. “I only know Kim.”

“Pity. That story usually impresses women.”

She scoffed. “Consider all my suspicions about your women confirmed.”

At UNC’s Dean Smith Center, their driver came around to open their door. 

Ben sighed. “Can’t tell you how much I wish we were going in there for a basketball game instead.”

He slid out first and before reaching out his hand to help Rey. Once she was out and on her feet, she expected him to release her hand, but instead, he intertwined her fingers as he followed the security guards in through a back entrance.

There was so much energy and hustle all around them, media and security personnel rushing past in every direction, but Rey could only seem to think about  the large, warm hand in hers.

“You okay?” he asked, looking down at her as they waited for an elevator.

She nodded quickly, and he squeezed her hand.

“Why do you keep checking on me?” she whispered. “You’re the one who hates it here.”

“I know, but I’ve dealt with this stuff before. Just want to make sure you’re not too overwhelmed.”

“I’m fine.”

Truthfully, though, her mind was spinning, and it had nothing to do with the lights and chaos around her. 

She’d kissed boys, had gone further than that, had some limited experience in fumbling encounters that had never really meant anything, in her lonely London days. 

But she had never held a boy’s hand before.

Thinking of it that way didn’t feel right. Ben was holding _her_ hand, holding her like he was trying to keep her close, keep her safe.

It was a level of intimacy that she had never shared with anyone before.

And it was all for show.

The badged security guard led them into the private green room where Leia and her inner circle were waiting out the beginning of the debate.

Ben dropped her hand when they stepped inside the room. Despite the fact that she had lived with that hand attached to her arm for 24 years, she suddenly didn’t know what to do with it. She let it hang at her side and tried not to overanalyze why it felt so empty.

_It’s good,_ she told herself. _It was getting sweaty anyway._

“Benji! You’re on time!” Leia’s voice sounded surprised and pleased as the tiny woman came up to greet them.

“Glad to see your expectations are so consistently high for me,” said Ben dryly, leaning down to give her a light peck on the cheek.

“I assume I have this lovely young lady to thank for your punctuality,” said Leia, turning her attention to Rey. She took both of Rey’s hands in hers. “It’s wonderful to see you again, Rey.”

“You too,” Rey squeaked, no more comfortable with her hero than she had been in the past. She cleared her throat. “I’ve been looking forward to tonight.”

“Well that makes one of us,” said Leia.

“How are you doing, Mom?”

“As nervous as a bride at a shotgun wedding,” said Leia. “Which mine was, ‘cause I was already knocked up with this one.” She smacked Ben on the chest.

“You act like it was my fault,” said Ben. “But good call on getting that anecdote out of your system now, before you’re on national television.”

Someone came for Leia. 

“Speaking of national television, no eye rolls on camera, young man!” she called back at Ben as she was led away.

Rey laughed. “You think she knows you?”

“Rey!” Poe came up and pulled her in for a hug. 

“Careful,” admonished Rey, returning it quickly before pulling away. “I’m under strict orders to preserve the ‘look.’” She gestured down at herself.

“Well, for good reason,” said Poe. “You look stunning.”

She smiled widely.

“Good press coming out of your campus tour,” said Poe. “Well done. How much longer?”

“We go through next week.”

“Well, when you get back from LA, feel free to drop by headquarters whenever you’re bored.”

Someone came to tell Ben that he needed makeup. Rey didn’t even have a chance to make fun of him for it before he was whisked away, scowling heavily.

“Hey,” said Poe quietly, “How’s Operation Date the Dick going?”

“It’s, uh, going.”

“You’re a real trooper, Rey. And the media loves it. Leia’s son, falling in love with one of the staffers from her campaign. It’s adorable. People are snapping it up.” He clasped her hand. “K, well, I need to run. We’re going over talking points. Knock em dead out there.”

It wasn’t long until an arena worker came for Ben and Rey. Most of the people in the green room were planning to stay there to watch the debate. 

Before they entered the floor seating area, Ben took her hand again. He looked down as if to ask if it was all right, and she nodded. Then they took their seats right behind the moderator table where Wolf Blitzer was shuffling notes as he got his makeup adjusted.

“I can’t believe I could literally reach out and touch him,” whispered Rey excitedly, leaning in to get a better look. “He’s, like, my old man crush.”

Ben looked horrified. “You weirdo. He could be your grandfather. Maybe even great.”

“‘The Situation Room’ is my guilty pleasure.”

“I really don’t think you know what that means.”

“Procrastinating schoolwork to watch CNN can be a guilty pleasure,” she defended.

“At my apartment, there is one TV. We’re going to have to lay some ground rules about what plays on it.” 

Ben stepped forward and tapped Wolf, who turned around.

“Ben!” said Wolf, reaching out his hand for a shake. “It’s been a long time.”

“It has been,” agreed Ben, returning the shake. “Wolf,” he continued, gesturing back at their seats. “This is my- This is Rey. She’s a big fan of yours.”

“Nice to meet you, Rey,” said Wolf. Rey jumped up to shake his extended hand.

“Yeah,” sputtered Rey, too tongue-tied to say anything else.

“Enjoy the debate, you two,” said Wolf, returning to his notes.

“You too!” shouted Rey. “I mean, good luck, I mean…” She slapped herself in the face and sank back in her seat.

Ben returned to his seat beside her, laughing. “Smooth.”

“Shut up.” She smacked his arm. “Thanks for introducing me, though. I can’t believe you know him! Maybe I wasn’t impressed by what’s-his-face Kardashian, but I am now.”

Ben shook her head but smiled at her. “I should have known.”

 

* * *

Ben and Rey had been warned that they’d often show up on camera, so they needed to be as still as possible. It wasn’t hard for Rey. She was so enraptured by having a literal front row seat to the historic debate that she couldn’t look away, not even when Ben seized a few quick moments to tease her. 

“Look at his biceps as he holds that pen,” he’d say, referring to Wolf. Or, “Do you think his sperm is still viable?”

She wouldn’t look at him, but would carefully pinch his thigh each time.

“Okay, even you have to admit your mom won that,” said Rey when it finally ended. 

“If you say so.” He shrugged.

“Oh come on, you sourpuss. Of course she did.”

“I stand by my belief that people think the winner is whomever they agreed with. Without watching the debate, you could spend time flipping between Fox News and CNN tonight and you’d have no idea who ‘won.’”

A television producer in a headset crouched in front of them to tell Ben it was time to greet his mother onstage. Rey shrank back, indicating to Ben that he should go without her. He stared at her for a quick second, and then took the stage, enveloping his mother in a bear hug. They chatted for a few moments, before Ben came back and reached for Rey’s hand. He helped her on to the stage, and Leia gave her a hug.

“You were amazing, Leia,” said Rey. “I can’t wait until your first State of the Union so I can actually cheer for all of your talking points.”

“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves, dear,” said Leia, but she smiled gratefully.

The three crossed the stage and greeted the Mothmas, chatting politely for a bit. Then they were all informed that the television broadcast had ended and they were off-camera now.

“Well, I guess that’s it,” said Leia. “I think I’ll go sleep for a hundred years.”

“Yeah, right,” said Ben.

“All right, young man, you take this cute girl of yours and go defend your mother at Spin Alley,” said Leia, her finger poking Ben in the chest.

“Do we have to?” whined Ben.

“Yes,” piped in Rey, grabbing Ben’s arm. “Come on, young man.”

“I like her,” called out Leia behind them. Ben grumbled the whole way to the media center, where a “spin alley” of journalists was set up. Hundreds of reporters lined the roped off lane, yelling at various politicians and other public figures as they walked through.

Rey took Ben’s hand and squeezed it.

“Just a few reporters, k? Then we’ll go, I promise.”

He squeezed back. “K.”

They walked through, where they were immediately accosted by four journalists screaming over each other. They all seemed to be asking if Ben thought his mom won.

“My mother did a terrific job,” said Ben. “She was poised and prepared, exactly who you’d want as Commander and Chief.”

He answered a few more questions diligently before a reporter called out to Rey.

“Ms. Niima! You looked like part of the family tonight! Is an engagement imminent?”

Ben stiffened. He leaned down and whispered in her ear. “You don’t have to answer that.”

“I was here to support the Organa family,” said Rey to the reporter. “And I’d be happy to discuss the debate. I was particularly impressed by Leia’s plans for Medicare. Would you like me to expand on that?”

No, the reporter wouldn’t.

They walked a little farther before a young journalist holding a Buzzfeed microphone called out.

“Mr. Solo! President Ackbar once mentioned how desperately you wanted a puppy as a kid. Did you ever get one?”

“No, my mom never got me a puppy,” said Ben. Then he joked, “she was probably smart enough to realize that I wouldn’t actually fulfill all my promises to take care of the thing.”

Once they had slipped away, Ben muttered, “Buzzfeed, reporting on the important stuff. You know, like my childhood pain.”

“Oh, you poor, rich baby. Mummy never got you a puppy,” cooed Rey, giving him a few mock-sympathetic pats on the chest.

Ben answered one more reporter’s question about the debate before he used his strength and height to his advantage to steer the two of them out of the line of reporters and found their car.

He was mostly silent on the drive back to the hotel. Once they were alone in the elevator, he finally spoke.

“My mom never did get me a puppy,” he said. Rey’s eyes flew to him. “But my dad did.”

He stared at the shiny floor as he spoke.

“A chocolate lab. I named him Chewie because he immediately tore up my sneaker.” He laughed softly. “My dad brought him home for me once when he was in town. But when I saw my mom’s face, I should have known it was all over. I played with Chewie in my room that night while my parents screamed at each other. My mom accused my dad of trying to swoop in and be the favorite while she’d end up having to take care of him. My dad said that I needed at least ‘one friend.’”

The elevator doors opened onto their floor.

“Chewie slept with me that night,” continued Ben softly as they walked. He huffed a laugh. “He peed on my floor. I played with him the next morning before school, and I fed him, softening his kibble just like my dad had showed me. But when I got home, he was gone.”

Rey cringed. “I’m sorry, Ben. And I’m sorry I made fun of you.”

“You were right, I guess,” said Ben. “If that’s the worst I’ve got, I don’t have a lot to complain about.”

“Bad memories hurt,” said Rey. They reached her door and she pulled out her key.

“Hey,” said Ben, putting his hand on her door. “I know things have been crazy, and tonight was a lot, but we’re cool, right? We’re friends?”

“Yeah, Ben, we’re friends.”

“Good.” He pulled his hand back. “It’s nice to have a friend along.”

She smiled at him before unlocking her door and pushing her way in. She closed it carefully before kicking off her shoes and collapsing on her bed, groaning loudly.

She pulled her phone out of the clutch Sabine had given her, searching for distraction, and saw about a million texts from Rose.

 

8:10 PM<< _OMG you didn’t tell me you were even going to the debate much less sitting RIGHT BEHIND WOLF BLITZER!_

8:15 PM<< _You look soooo good_

8:26 PM<< _YOU GUYS ARE SO CUTE WHAT IS GOING ON_

8:35 PM<< _I JUST WANT THEM TO SHOW YOU GUYS MORE SCREW THE FATE OF THE NATION_

9:45 PM<< _HE BROUGHT YOU ONSTAGE TO HUG LEIA I CAN’T EVEN_

9:55 PM<< _REY_  

9:56 PM<< _REY_

9:57 PM<< _I KNOW YOU’RE BUSY BUT CALL WHEN YOU CAN_

10:22 PM<< _OMG just saw a clip of you backstage. Is an engagement imminent wtfffffff_

10:24 PM<< _i really hope your phone has been on silent all night :/_

 

Rey grabbed her laptop and nervously googled Ben’s name. The articles poured in.

 

_It’s Unanimous: Ben Organa Solo and His Girlfriend Won the Debate_

_Ben Solo and His Girlfriend at the Presidential Debate: See the Photos!_

_I Asked Ben Solo if He Ever Got a Puppy and He Had the Best Response_

_It’s Over Ladies: Ben Solo Looked 100% in Love At the Debate_

_Leia Organa Hugs Her Son’s Girlfriend After the Debate. Rumor Says They’re Already Engaged_

_Ben Organa Solo and Girlfriend Rey Niima Were Trending All Night on Twitter_

She clicked on one of the articles at random. It included a few images from the night. One was from a moment during the debate, when the camera picked up on them behind Wolf. Ben apparently wasn’t as sneaky as he thought he was, because he could clearly be seen whispering in her ear. Rey saw that she had a little smile on her face, and Ben wore his trademark teasing smirk. 

Looking quickly around her room like someone might jump out from behind the curtains and catch her, Rey saved the image to her computer.

She picked her phone back up and shot off a couple texts to Rose, locking the phone shut before she could re-read what she wrote.

11:13 PM to Rose>> _SOS_

11:13 PM to Rose>> _I think I like Ben_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *All football games in this story are 2016 accurate. I never would have made the Steelers lose otherwise.
> 
> We're almost to October, folks. Stuff is going to start going down.
> 
> Okay, I'm off on vacation. I'll answer comments through tomorrow, possibly from the Dumbo or It's a Small World line (because, kids), then I'll be offline for a week. Love you all!


	14. September Part VIII

Predictably, Rey’s phone started buzzing as soon as it hit the hotel bed comforter. She scrunched her eyes shut to see if she could just fall asleep before she had to acknowledge any of this. But after a few minutes, her brain was spinning too hard and she wanted to see what Rose’s reaction was.

Rose had sent her another chain of texts.

11:13 PM<< _OMG_

11:13 PM<< _Are you alone?_

11:13 PM<< _Can I call?_

11:16 PM<< _REY!_

11:16 PM<< _Don’t leaving me hanging_

11:18 PM<< _The only acceptable explanation for you ghosting me is because you’re with your man_

11:18 PM<< _In that case, get it girl_

11:20 PM<< _But the second you can, CALL ME. I AM YOUR FRIEND AND SHOULD NOT HAVE TO GET SECONDHAND INFO ONLINE_

The last text made Rey smile and finally decide to respond. She dialed Rose’s number, who picked up after about a half second of ringing.

“Rey!” 

“Hey, Rose.”

“Sorry if I’ve been annoying you but I’ve been freaking out over here! How was the debate?”

“Pretty enlightening,” said Rey evenly. “What did you think about Governor Organa’s thoughts on Russia?”

“Oh ha ha ha,” snipped Rose. “You know what I’m talking about. And I don’t think I heard a word of the debate. I was too busy waiting desperately for the next time you guys showed up on camera.”

“Did we show up a lot?” Rey was wary.

“The main networks loved you, CNN definitely did too, or maybe they just wanted to show Wolf Blitzer, but Fox News showed Mon Mothma’s family on the other wide of Wolf more often,” replied Rose, sounding like she was ticking off her fingers. “We switched around a bit, trying to get the most of you.”

“We?”

“Yeah, some of us staffers are at a watch party. We had to settle for TV, like the low level plebs we are. Not all of us get first row seats. Still, though, I was basically a celebrity at the party because I’m friends with you. Everyone wanted to know everything I knew. But I had to smile and nod along pretending like I actually had any inside scoop. What was I going to tell them, that the last I heard from you, you hated the guy? But on TV you’re smiling like a schoolgirl while he whispers in your ear? Holding hands all over the arena? What about that? So here I am, searching all over the Internet, having to read about you on freaking Buzzfeed. _Buzzfeed,_ Rey!”

There was a pause where it sounded like Rose was gasping for breath.

“I’m sorry,” said Rey.

“Don’t apologize, girl, you’ve clearly been _busy,_ just gimme the dirt! And don’t worry, I stepped out.”

“There’s no dirt to give.”

“Oh hell to the no, you don’t get to rant about your spoiled prince to me for weeks and then complain to me that Poe Dameron is making you fake date him and then tell me you _like_ him without connecting some dots for me here!”

Rey chuckled. “Fine, what do you want to know?”

“Are you guys actually dating?”

“No.”

“Do you want to be?”

“No!” Rey yelled, and then sighed. “Yes? I mean, I don’t know!” She flopped back on her hotel bed dramatically.

“I thought he was a prick?”

“Oh he is,” said Rey. “I mean, he’s not. I mean, he is, but he’s also not, you know?”

“Ahh, the hidden softie?”

“I don’t know. He’s so hard to parse out. He’s got this enormous chip on his shoulder about politics, about his mom, all that stuff, but he’s smart. And as long as we’re not duking it out over all that, he’s actually fun and he can be sweet, too.” Rey paused. “Wait, you haven’t told anyone about our faking dating thing, right?”

“No,” Rose assured her. “I promised you I wouldn’t. But I’ll tell you what, tonight everyone here was one thousand percent convinced it was real, and I’m not going to lie, you had me going, too.”

“Why?”

“You guys were just so cute, all flirty and handsy. Back when you told me what Poe wanted you to do, you acted like it was no big thing, just let the rumors die out, right? But tonight you fanned the flames in a huge way.”

Rey sighed heavily. “I don’t know what he’s thinking about all this.”

“He looked pretty into you, if you ask me.”

“I don’t think so. I think he’s kind of lonely, and he absolutely hates the spotlight. He told me it was nice to have someone with him through all this, and I actually think our friendship means a lot to him. But that’s all he sees me as.”

“Why do you think that?”

“Because he told me!” Rey’s voice nearly cracked. “Tonight was the most overtly romantic we’ve ever been, and I kind of got all caught up in it, and I liked holding his hand, and he told me I looked beautiful.” She had to pause and collect herself.

“You totally did.”

“Thanks,” said Rey. “Then tonight when we said good-bye, he was so sweet and we had, like, this moment, and then he called me his friend.”

“Have you thought about telling him how you feel?”

“Are you crazy?” Rey shook her head. “We still have to get through this whole campus tour and then when we get back to LA we’re living together. I can’t make it awkward. We’ve come so far. And also, I’m not his type.”

“What’s his type?”

“I don’t know, blonde? Ditzy? Puts out? I don’t know.”

“If you don’t know, why are you even guessing?” Rose sounded skeptical. “Also, he’s what, like thirty and single? It’s not like he’s married to or is even still with any of these imaginary girls you’re comparing yourself to.”

“He just acts like he likes things casual. He kind of, like, brags about his many conquests.”

Rose groaned. “Why oh why do guys think that’s attractive? It’s like they all went to the same flirting school for morons. Lemme tell you, Rey, a guy bragging about his past is not the same thing as actually having a past. He might be talking a big game, maybe trying to make you jealous. Idiot.”

“He is an idiot, but I’m starting to think of him as my idiot.” Rey closed her eyes and leaned back on her pillow, pulling the blanket up to her chin. “Rose, I don’t think what I’m feeling for him is casual. Like, I don’t just want to go knock on his hotel room door and hook up.”

“It doesn’t have to be one or the other. You can just sort of test the waters, make a tiny move. I mean, when you’re alone so he doesn’t conflate it with your public personas.”

“I can’t,” squeaked Rey. “I don’t think I could face his…” She couldn’t say rejection. “Face him. Look, he’s always made it clear that he hates everything I stand for. He hates politics, he hates poli sci majors, he hates this whole world.”

“If you guys are friends, he doesn’t hate at least you. And you’re gorgeous. I think he can overlook your differences in politics.”

“I really just can’t,” said Rey sadly. “I just… When I see him next, I’m going to carry on like we’ve been doing.”

“Why?”

“I don’t need a man.”

“Of course not, but…”

“Maybe romance isn’t in the cards for me anyway,” Rey babbled on. “I can resign myself to being a lone wolf forever.”

Rose laughed. “This isn’t 1800, Rey. We don’t throw in the towel at 25 and concede to old maid-hood.”

“I can power through this,” continued Rey quickly. “My career and this election are way more important than any silly relationship. Everything is going well. I can’t disrupt anything. Thank you for talking me through this, Rose.”

“Wait!”

“I can talk to you again if I need to?”

“Of course, but…”

“Have fun at your party. Talk to you later.” Rey hung up the phone before she could hear any response and switched it onto “Do Not Disturb” mode before setting her alarm to make their next flight. They still had a tour to get through. It’d keep them busy and distracted.

Too bad Ben was the very thing she needed to be distracted from.

 

—

 

The next morning, Rey called a groggy Ben to make sure he was up in time. as she had done nearly every day since they set off on their tour.

She chirped out a bright hello, which he acknowledged with a grunt. However, five minutes later he dutifully sent the text she always asked for, telling her he was up and getting in the shower.

_Don’t picture it, Rey._

A minute later, he texted her again, asking her not to go to the lobby without him. That was unusual. She furrowed her brow and asked why. He replied that he was worried about a press ambush.

She wondered if he had seen all of the articles about the two of them. Rationally, she knew that he steered away from any press coverage about himself. But some tiny piece of her wondered if maybe he had wanted to see?

_No,_ she told herself firmly. _Don’t go down that road._

Someone else had seen the coverage, though. She had already talked to Poe that morning.

6:21 AM<< _The world loved you last night!_

6:22 AM<< _We’re expecting a boost in numbers today_

6:25 AM to Poe>> _Why does anyone care about this?_

6:26 AM<< _Don’t ask me to understand the American voting public_

6:26 AM to Poe>> _That’s literally your job Poe_

6:26 AM<< _Touche. Where are you off to today?_

6:27 AM to Poe>> _Philadelphia today, then Pittsburgh tomorrow_

6:28 AM<< _Nice. Post lots of stuff from PA. We need that state_

6:28 AM to Poe>> _You got it_

6:28 AM<< _K my flight is about to take off. I’d tell you to punch the asshole for me, but you guys looking lovey dovey is working out much better. Maybe you two should actually date 😂_

She winced.

6:29 AM to Poe>> _haha_

Ben was fifteen minutes late coming to her hotel room. He inadvertently did her a favor, though, because the time was just enough to wipe her girly fantasies from her mind and make her feel sufficiently pissed off. 

“Are you hungover?” she snapped.

“Uh, no?” Ben looked confused.

“Just need to know ahead of time if there’s any more minibar charges I have to take care of before the press gets a hold of it,” said Rey feistily. “Did you drown in the shower? What took you so long? If there’s a long security line and we miss our flight, it’s on you.”

“Geez, come at me why don’tcha?”

“You give me plenty of reason to.”

“And a good morning to you, too,” grumbled Ben. “Kind of you to just assume I got drunk.”

“Last night didn’t make you want to drink?”

He stared at her for a long moment, then said flippantly, “It was late. I was tired and went straight to sleep.”

“Right, me too,” said Rey, bobbing her head. She definitely didn’t stay up past one freaking out over her feelings, no way.

“Okay.” Ben looked down the hallway. “Well, remember that reporters are going to be everywhere, here, at the airport, even on the plane probably. Let’s not draw their attention, k?”

Nothing like last night. Rey got the message loud and clear.

“Got it,” said Rey. As she followed him down the hallway, she poked him on the arm. “On the plane, we’re going to go over all of the best talking points from the debate so you’re ready to talk about them at the drop of a hat. And I better feel the sincerity dripping off you.”

Ben groaned, and she felt like maybe, just maybe, she could do this.

 

* * *

Things got back to almost normal in Philadelphia. As repetitive as they were getting, the rally they attended at Temple University was a welcome bit of familiarity after their crazy time at the debate. Ben gave his speech, they manned a voter registration booth for a thankfully short amount of time, and then they set off to hit some tourist spots in the city.

As VIPs, they got to cut through the lines. Rey was giddy with excitement at Independence Hall, their last stop, and was put out by Ben looking bored, scrolling through his phone.

“Benjamin!” she chided. “We are standing on holy ground. This is where the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were signed. The very foundation of your own nation and your entire career began here.”

“Yeah, I know,” he responded, barely looking up. “You’re not the first woman to bring me here and give that speech. My mom beat you to it by about twenty years.”

“Oh that’s perfect,” she said, ignoring the disdain in his voice. “Tell me more so I can make a social media post about that. Here, pose.” She reached for his phone.

He rolled his eyes and held the phone up out of her reach. “You’ve got a one-track mind, you know that?”

“That’s a terrible pose, Ben. Come on, give it to me.”

“You’d have a better chance of sneaking pictures of me if you didn’t have a phone that we could leave here for the historical society to archive.”

“Very funny.” She pulled out her own phone. “I’m taking a picture of you whether you like it or not. It’s your choice whether you want the horrible camera that washes you out and adds like twenty pounds or your nice one.”

He sighed and handed off his phone. When she was satisfied with a picture and an anecdote for her (his) Twitter post, she agreed that they could leave. She gave everything one long, last reverent look before she sprinted to catch up with his eager strides. 

“Well, despite your best efforts, I enjoyed this all this,” she said as they waited for their driver to come around.

“I’m glad,” said Ben. He pocketed his phone. “Have you ever been to DC?”

“No.”

“You should go, regardless of whether my mom wins. You’d love it.”

“Somehow I sense that tour guide Leia brought little Benji there, too?”

“A few times, yeah.” He grimaced.

“Didn’t you like any of it?”

“I liked the Smithsonian.” He shrugged. “Leia’s lectures on history and democracy were a lot less interesting than old spaceships and the Hope Diamond to a ten year old.”

“Okay, fair.”

“Hey, that’s a lot coming from you. I assume you’ll tell me that ten year old Rey quoted “The Communist Manifesto” and regularly sent letters to Parliament.”

She huffed. “I wish that were true. More like writing letters to our landlord begging to keep the lights on.” She shook her head fiercely.

He gave her a long, discerning look.

“I also really liked the zoo,” he continued. “My nanny took me there on days my mom was busy. Even though she was technically involved in state politics, she was always building her DC network. She still owns my grandfather’s old town home there. Anyway, I loved the pandas.” He was quiet for a moment and then chuckled. “And I totally forgot about this until right now, but there was this big rope outside of the exhibits that stretched between two buildings.” He held his hands out. “Sometimes they’d let the orangutans swing around on it. My nanny let me sit and watch as long as I wanted. That was probably my favorite thing in all of DC.”

Their car pulled up.

“Okay,” said Ben brightly. “Now that we’re finally done with all of this, we’ll go visit a far more important piece of American history.” In the car, he told the driver something, who nodded knowingly.

Ben wouldn’t tell her where they were going until they eventually stopped at a large old museum.

“The Philadelphia Museum of Art,” she read off as they climbed out. “Wow, I didn’t peg you for an art lover.”

“Oh we’re not here for the art,” he said. He pointed at the front of the museum. “We’re here for the steps.”

“What?” 

Ben walked her to a statue of a boxer. 

“These are the very steps that Rocky ran up,” he explained.

“Oh,” she said, a little confused. “I’ve never seen _Rocky_.”

Ben grabbed his chest like he’d been shot. “They gave you a visa without seeing a _Rocky_ movie? It should be required viewing for anyone moving here. There’s, like, five songs on the _Rocky IV_ soundtrack that would make a better national anthem.”

“I’ll never understand the hills you choose to die on.”

“The point is, we’re watching all of them when we get home. Well, not _V,_ which we will pretend doesn’t exist.”

“How many are there?”

“Not enough. Although it looks like there will be a _Creed II,_ so that’s good.”

She didn’t have a chance to respond before he pointed and said, “race me?” before tearing towards the steps. He ran straight up, his long legs skipping steps as he went. 

She finally caught up to him at the top, grabbing her side as she pretended to collapse next to him. He clucked his tongue at her but sat down, too. For a while, the only sounds between them were Rey wheezing as she caught her breath. The sun was setting in the distance and the city looked beautiful from this vantage point. 

“I don’t want to give too much away, because we _will_ watch them,” said Ben eventually. “But Rocky was the ultimate underdog. He was from the streets but managed to beat the odds and become great. His running up here was kind of symbolic of that.” He nudged her elbow. “A little bit like you.”

Rey couldn’t speak for a moment, her throat tight and her heart fluttering. She knew her face would give too much away if she looked at him, so she stared straight ahead, watching the sun vanish below the buildings. After the night before, it was so hard to have his hand just inches from hers and yet not be allowed to reach for it. The steps were too quiet. There weren’t nearly enough people around to get away with such overt affection, right? They didn’t even hug or hold hands at the campus rallies, so he’d certainly be put off tonight. She clenched her fists and crossed her arms tightly, the fall air just crisp enough to justify the motion.

Ben adjusted his legs and their thighs brushed.

She jumped up. “Okay, I’ve recovered,” she said. “Let’s go finally get you a cheesesteak so you can quit your whining.”

“I’ve barely mentioned it,” protested Ben, pulling himself up.

“If by barely, you mean at least fifty times in the last two hours, then okay.”

“Trust me, you’ll understand soon enough. And I think I found the best place on Yelp.”

“Well, let’s hop to it, then,” said Rey, skipping down the steps.

“Don’t give yourself a heart attack,” he called out. “You know, you should maybe do something about the fact that a few steps get you winded.”

“Shut up, Gym Rat,” she said. “And that’s rich coming from someone who’s about to force me to eat a combination of cheese and red meat.”

“Death by cheesesteak,” he said wistfully, catching up to her. “What a way to go.”

He gave her the little self-pleased smile that she used to want to smack off her face but now made her almost trip over her own feet.

_You’ll be the death of me first_ , she thought.


	15. Sept Part IX/Oct Part I

Their day in Pittsburgh was pleasant enough. The fall colors were stunning, and Ben enjoyed seeing where the Steelers played. He even bought some memorabilia from a street vendor near the University of Pittsburgh after their rally. Mostly, though, he was quiet. As they looked out over the skyline and stadiums from Mt. Washington, Ben admitted that even though it was his dad’s hometown, he had never been before.

“He always said that someday he’d bring me here to show me around and we’d go to a game,” explained Ben. “But we never got that chance.”

“Too bad we couldn’t have been scheduled over a game,” said Rey, looking down at the empty football stadium.

“Yeah, Thursday games are pretty unusual.”

“I guess you still could, you know, someday.”

“Maybe.” He zoomed in on his phone and took a picture of Heinz Field. “I’ve seen them play in San Diego against the Chargers. And now the Rams are in LA, so I’ll watch for when the Steelers come to town.”

“Or maybe in Washington DC?” asked Rey. Ben bristled, and she realized she didn’t know what his plans were if his mom won the election. “Do they have a team?” she hurried to add.

“They do. You’ll love their name.”

“Really? What is it?”

“The Redskins.”

His lips curled up as he watched her take in what he had said.

“Wait,” she said, “you mean they were once called the Redskins?”

“No.” His smile grew. “They still are.”

“There’s no way!”

He pulled up the logo on his phone and showed it to her. Her jaw dropped and he grinned. “Thought you’d like that one.”

“I can’t believe you’re amused by this!”

“Getting you riled up is basically my main pastime these days these days,” he said. “What else do I have in my life?”

“Oh, I don’t know, money, privilege, a caring mother?”

Her voice took a frosty edge. Ben leaned in, eyes narrowed. 

“Hey, do you guys want me to take a picture of you?” asked one of the Pitt students who had brought them up. 

“Oh, uh, sure,” said Ben, recovering first from the interruption. He opened his camera app and handed her his phone. Ben and Rey leaned back against a metal fence and Ben put his arm around her. 

Rey’s heart, which had sped up in anticipation of a fight, made itself known again as Ben filled her senses. She felt so warm and safe wrapped up in his arm, and she had a creepy compulsion to sniff his leather bomber jacket.

It made no sense that less than thirty seconds before, she had been prepared to claw his eyes out but now wanted to wrap her arms around his waist and lay her head on his shoulder.

She wouldn’t, of course, but it was a tempting thought. But should she put her hand on his chest?

She was torn from her thoughts when she felt Ben tugging on her.

“Huh?”

“She wants us to slide over,” said Ben, moving them a couple feet.

“Little bit more,” called out the student, indicating the direction with her hand. “There, that’s it. Now I can see the fountain. Oh wait, hang on, I think the flash is on.”

“Just take the damn thing,” whispered Ben through his teeth. Rey felt her pasted smile turn into a real one.

“So cute,” cooed the student, who took about fifty pictures, both vertical and horizontal. Ben dropped his arm to reach for his phone, which he locked and pocketed without a glance.

“Did you want to look to see if they’re okay?” asked the student. “If we wait a second, we can get the incline in.”

“No, that’s fine,” said Ben. “Sorry, but we better go. We have an early flight.”

Rey wanted to look at the picture, but no one asked her. She resolved to sneakily send it to herself from Ben’s phone later.

 

\--

They were walking to their adjacent hotel rooms when Ben revisited their earlier topic.

“I don’t know if I’ll move to DC,” said Ben. “I’m tired of people assuming I will. My mom keeps guilt tripping me about it, too, like I need to fill the role her non-existent husband would.” He snorted. “On the other hand, she never seems to stop being embarrassed by me, so honestly, I don’t know why she’d want me in a prominent role.” 

“I’m sure she’s proud of you, Ben,” assured Rey, laying a comforting hand on his arm. He shook his head.

“She’ll never stop seeing me as a disappointment.” His deep voice was bitter and resigned.

“Cut the pity party,” snapped Rey. “You could be great, you know. You could have the kind of influence millions of people dream of, but you’d rather sit around and sulk.” 

“By hosting White House tea parties? By attending banquet after mind-numbing banquet?”

“By stepping up and finding a cause you can make a difference in! There has got to be one issue on this entire planet you’re passionate about, and don’t say that PlayStation is better than Xbox.”

“No, it’s the other way around.”

“Whatever. Be serious and think of one thing that could get you out of bed in the morning. Something you could have a part in changing.”

He leaned against his hotel room door, thinking.

“Bad parallel parkers.”

She groaned and threw up her hands. 

“You are impossible!” she cried. “You don’t deserve the platform you have. I would kill to have one chance to make things the teeniest bit better in this wretched world of ours.”

Ben leaned down, pushing his index finger into her shoulder.

“I didn’t ask for any of this,” he said angrily. “How many thirty year olds do you know who are expected to upend their entire lives to accommodate their mother’s career choices?”

“You need to stop thinking of this as your burden and start thinking of it as an opportunity,” she said. She straightened up so she was nearly eye level with him, took a step closer, and softened her voice. “You can do it, Ben. You can be a part of something amazing. I’ll help you.” 

Ben’s scowl lightened somewhat, and he leaned in closer. 

“Influence doesn’t have to be the marker of greatness,” he said. “There’s a lot of ways to make a difference.”

He continued talking, but his words barely registered. It was like every neuron in her brain had gone into hyperactivity mode, running around and crashing into each other, rendering her incapable of any speech or rational thought. He was so close she could nearly taste him, and how she wanted to.

All it would take was the tiniest elevation on her toes and her lips would be on his. She was about 98 percent committed to the idea when he backed away with a jerk, slammed his hotel key card into the slot, and shoved his way in.

“I’ll see you in the morning,” he called back. “And before you ask, I’ll send you the damn shower text.”

The sound of the slamming door shook Rey out of her fool-headed haze. What had she almost done? She was embarrassed by the mere thought of how he might have reacted if she had kissed him. He had probably read that she was thinking about it, and got out of there as soon as he could. She didn’t blame him.

She needed to stop prodding him, both about his politics, as much as she didn’t understand him, and about their relationship. She was his friend; any romantic affection was for the cameras. She needed to stop toeing the line in the sand.

Sadly, she unlocked her door and entered her own empty hotel room.

 

* * *

 

Ann Arbor, Michigan, was the first place that Ben seemed truly excited to visit. Of course, Ben openly dreaded yet another campus rally, but at least this time he had something to look forward to. Ben and Rey had been invited to be VIPs at the University of Michigan football game the next day, and Ben couldn’t wait to see the “Big House,” whatever that was.

Apparently Ben had another reason to look forward to their stay. As things were wrapping up at the rally, he kept checking his phone. When his face broke into a smile, Rey asked him what was up.

“Oh, my best friend from law school works here,” he explained. “She’s been busy all day, but she’s about to come by.”

“She?”

“Yeah, you’ll like her.” 

“Great!” She practiced her best politician feigned enthusiasm.

Ben batted off some students’ offers for dinner, drinks, or tours by unapologetically telling them he already had plans.

“You didn’t tell me that you knew someone here,” said Rey.

“I actually didn’t know. She only started here this semester. I thought she was still clerking with Ruth Bader Ginsburg.” Rey’s eyes must have gotten huge because Ben chuckled. “See? I told you you’d like her. Anyway, she saw that I was coming to campus and reached out.”

“Ben!”

The bold voice that interrupted them belonged to the tallest woman Rey had ever seen. She was as tall as Ben, or maybe even taller. It was hard to tell when the two were hugging.

“I can’t believe you’re here,” said Ben, pulling back.

“Well, maybe if you hadn’t skipped the reunion you’d know things.”

“Wait, you went?”

“No.”

“Then how’d you know I skipped?”

“Lucky guess.” She laughed. . “I, on the other hand, have been following your moves. You’ve been a bit busy lately.”

That must have reminded Ben about Rey, because he stepped back and gestured at Rey.

“Gwen, this is Rey Niima. Rey, Gwen Phasma, my friend from law school and now new law professor, apparently.” He grinned at the blonde woman. “How is that going? What do you teach?”

“For now, just first year torts.”

“Terrifying the 1Ls, huh?”

“Socrates has got nothing on me.” She winked at Ben. “Actually,” she added, “they have no idea, but I’m way more scared of them. It was so hard to get this job and one bad set of teaching evaluations?” She made a slicing motion across her neck.

“I’m sure the school knows they’re lucky to have you.” To Rey, he explained, “Gwen was number one in our class. We actually met in a first year mandated study group, but it was clear early on that she wanted to study way more than I did.”

That wasn’t tough to imagine.

“So we became drinking buddies instead,” continued Gwen. 

“Yes, when she was willing to step away from her studies, every blue moon.”

“Well, not all of us could coast on our name.” Gwen’s teasing tone cut something deep inside Rey. It was silly, but spending so much time together over the past couple months had made Rey forget that Ben had a whole life and career before her. She wasn’t his only friend and confidante.

He had other women who teased him. More importantly, he had other women who he let tease him.

Ben and Gwen caught up for a while, talking about their jobs and a few of their old classmates. Ben gamely tried to include Rey in the conversation, but it was mostly hopeless. All of his efforts to fill in the gaps only emphasized her outsider status.

That was until Gwen flipped the script.

“So, you two.” Gwen looked significantly between Ben and Rey. “I needed to see it with my own eyes to believe it. Ben Solo, settling down at last.”    

“Are you my mother?” grumbled Ben.

Gwen laughed. “She does seem happy enough about it.”

“You know her?” asked Rey.

“Yes, not very well, though,” said Gwen. “We met a few times during school, but I think the longest we’ve talked was last year. Did your mom tell you we got dinner in DC? I ran into her at a fundraiser.”

“Uh, no, she didn’t.”

“Yeah, November I think. Or maybe December? It was definitely before the caucuses. Anyway, she spent a lot of time talking about some bimbo you had been seeing and how it was time for you to find someone smart and driven. Looks like you took her words to heart.”

Ben pursed his lips. Rey tried to be flattered but failed as the words spun around her head.

“There’s that cheerful Ben I love,” said Gwen, chuckling. She pulled out her phone. “Sorry, but I’ve got to run. Are you still good for dinner and drinks later?” Ben nodded. “Great, see you then. It was lovely to meet you, Rey.”

“You too,” responded Rey lamely. She felt like a child around a teacher. Ben waved off Gwen, whose smart-looking flats click-clacked across the floor as she strutted away, an impressive woman attending to her impressive career.

“Let’s finish up here so we have time to drop off our stuff at our hotel before dinner said Ben, causing Rey to break off from staring at Gwen’s retreating back.

Rey jumped into action, determined not to let Ben read anything in her face.

 

\--

 

Ben and Rey had done so many hotel check-ins by this point that Rey barely listened as the front desk clerk listed off some amenities and other information. The lady handed her a couple of keys and Rey thanked her absently. 

She had taken a few steps toward the elevator when she realized she had no idea where she was going.

“I’m sorry, what rooms did you say?”

“Room 214.”

“And?”

The lady looked up from her typing. “I’m sorry?”

“The second room.”

“No, there’s just the one.”

“There should be two.”

“I’m pretty sure the reservation was for one room.”

“Could you please check on that?” Rey’s voice wavered, and she refused to look back at Ben. “The campaign always reserves us two rooms. You know,” she added weakly, “For optics?”

The clerk diligently typed away, but the look on her face was not promising.

“I’m really sorry,” she said. “There must have been a mistake. And we’re all booked for the Wisconsin game tomorrow.”

“Is it a big deal?”

“They’re both ranked in the top ten, so yeah.” The lady looked incredulous at Rey’s question, and Ben stepped forward.

“Forgive her,” he said. “She thinks that football is soccer.” He and the lady exchanged a meaningful look. “Listen, is there someone we can talk to? A mana-”

Rey yanked on Ben’s arm to tug him to the side. She gave the lady a “one minute” finger and hissed at Ben.

“Don’t be like that. This isn’t her fault. I don’t want her to get in trouble.”

“They’ll make accommodations for us, Rey.”

“Okay, Mr. Privileged.”

He rolled his eyes. “Maybe, but there’s a privilege to being privileged. You get privileges!”

“She said they’re booked out!”

“They’ll find a way, even if it’s at another hotel. I promise you.”

“Have you ever had a job like this? What am I saying, of course you haven’t. I don’t want her to get fired just because you happen to be a VIP.” 

“That would be one dickhead boss.”

“Sometimes they are!”

Ben stared down at her with narrowed eyes. He moved his lips slightly, something Rey had figured out to mean he was thinking hard.

“We’ll take the room,” he called out to the clerk. “But please look into our reservations for tomorrow night and remember that we require the utmost discretion in all of our dealings.”

The clerk nodded eagerly.

They walked in silence to their room, Rey praying the whole time there would at least be two beds.

But of course, like a big cosmic joke, Rey swung open the door to reveal a room with one large bed.

As much as she tried to act natural as she sauntered into the room, she could feel her nerves taking over. She had never spent a night sleeping with a man, platonic or otherwise, and of course the first time she got the chance, it was with a man she wanted but couldn’t have.

He had been so tolerant over the course of their fake dating saga. She didn’t even want to imagine what was going through his head right then.

She could hear him pull in his suitcase and stand next to her, taking in the small room.

“Here,” she said as brightly as she could manage, “I’ll look up other rooms in the area.”

Without looking at him, she dug out her laptop and sat at the small desk, careful to avoid spreading out on the bed like she normally would. 

“Ok.” It was the first thing he had said since the hotel lobby. “I’ve gotta, you know.” In the corner of her eye, she saw him gesture at the bathroom and disappear inside.

A few minutes later, he came back out. “Any luck?” he asked.

“I mean, yeah, there’s a few rooms, but she wasn’t kidding about this game. Every room is so jacked up, it almost feels like misappropriation of campaign funds to book one.”

“I still say we could have the hotel do it. It was their own incompetence that we’re in this situation.”

She scrunched her eyes tight at his words. _This situation._  

“I could sleep on the floor,” she suggested.

He scoffed. “I’m not going to let you do that. Look, if you’re so morally opposed to maybe possibly getting a hotel clerk in trouble or overspending campaign funds on something that wasn’t our fault, I could buy a room.”

“You clearly don’t want to.”

“That’s not what I said.”

She stood up and gathered the courage to put voice to what they were both thinking. “We could share.”

“Share?” His eyes darted sideways to the bed.

“Yeah! We’re both adults.” She tried to sound enthusiastic but mostly sounded squeaky. _Don’t look at his face,_ she thought. Her eyes lowered, a little too low. _Nope, not there, either!_

She settled on looking at the ceiling, as one does.

“We can figure it out later,” said Ben. “I’m hungry. We’re supposed to meet Gwen soon.”

“Oh!” She had forgotten about that. As much as she wanted to tag along and stake her claim, she had to admit to herself that she had no claim to begin with. It wasn’t fair for Ben. “No, no, you go ahead. I’ll man the fort.” She cringed.

“You think because one room magically vanished, this one will too?”

She wasn’t in the mood to play along. “You should be able to catch up without having to constantly explain all your inside jokes and legal jargon. I’m tired anyway.”

“Are you sure?”

“One hundred percent.”

“And you’ll eat?”

Ben cared more about her eating than anyone ever had. His concern twisted something in her gut.

“Yes, there’s plenty of places around here. I’ll grab something and go to bed.”

She pointedly avoided looking at the bed, and based on his stiff demeanor, so did he.

“All right.” He gathered his phone and hotel key. “I’ll try not to disturb you if I come back late, okay?”

He gave the room one more passing glance before stalking out and letting the door slam behind him. Instantly, Rey crumpled onto the bed and wrenched a pillow from under the tight sheets, stuffing her head in it and screaming. She could not have made things more awkward if she had tried. And now she was left alone with her thoughts shooting in every direction.

Ben was going out with Gwen. Her fingers itched to call Rose and spill everything, but she was three hours ahead of her. Rose was probably still working. Besides, this was such a stupid thing to get worked up about.

So Gwen was smart and beautiful. So what? Apparently it wasn’t enough for them to have started dating back in the day. But Gwen’s voice came back to Rey’s head. _Ben Solo settling down at last._ Was there a story there?

Maybe they had been too young or too busy. From what it sounded like, Gwen studied night and day. But now they were both settled into their careers. The timing was good.

For months, Rey had assumed that Ben’s type was some kind of dumb blonde. But seeing him today, she wondered if instead his type was a genius blonde. The kind who name dropped Ruth Bader Ginsburg in a casual conversation by her first name. Gwen would be the perfect daughter-in-law to a president. No wonder Leia had apparently attempted some matchmaking when she had dinner with Gwen in DC. Of course she’d want her son to end up with a woman like that.

Rey had promised Ben she’d eat, but she couldn’t summon her appetite. She turned on the tv, desperate for any distraction, and curled up into a ball under the blankets. She rubbed her hand down the empty side of the mattress and wondered what it would be like with Ben sleeping there. Maybe it wouldn’t be awkward. She was so tired that she’d probably sleep through the whole thing.

They were closer sitting on an airplane. She could do this.

However, about an hour into her musings, Ben texted her. 

8:02 PM<< _Have you gotten another hotel room or anything?_

8:03 PM to Ben>> _No, do you want me to?_

8:03 PM<< _I’ll just crash at Gwen’s. Don’t worry about me. I’ll come shower there in the morning before the game._

Rey sank deeper into the sheets. She tried to will away all of the mental images that flooded her mind, but like a nightmare she couldn’t wake up from, they played on repeat. He probably spent the whole dinner complaining about this sham relationship he was forced to play a part in. And if he and Gwen slept together, it would be well within his rights. He had no real girlfriend to cheat on. 

Praying that the large dose of melatonin she had taken would kick in soon, she slid to the middle of the large, empty bed.

Then she did the thing she swore she’d never do, the thing that had regularly made her mad at flatmates and dorm-mates.

She cried over a boy.

 

* * *

 

Rey enjoyed the satisfying crunch of fallen leaves under her feet as she and Ben walked to the Big House, which Rey had learned was the football stadium. 

“You really miss out on the changing seasons living in LA,” she remarked as she stepped out of her way to smash a particularly tempting leaf. 

“That’s true. But it’s cold.” Ben tugged on his double jackets.

“Such a Californian.” She tutted as she elbowed him. “It’s in the 60s, you wimp.” She gestured at most of the stadium-goers around them dressed in tshirts.

“Hey, it was a little colder in Palo Alto.”

“The fact that you would even say that means you don’t know cold.”

After only a slightly awkward encounter that morning when Ben returned to shower, they had silently agreed to set aside the whole affair from the night before and bravely move forward with their usual camaraderie. The hotel owner had somehow learned of the room issue (“It wasn’t me,” Ben had assured her) and now both Ben and Rey were in their own complimentary suites. With that settled, they spent the rest of the morning eating and exploring the town.

Ben didn’t say much about his night with Gwen, and Rey certainly wasn’t going to ask. She didn’t need any verbal confirmation of what her mind had conjured.

“So are you excited to go to your first football game?”

“I guess.”

“I can’t believe you went four years at UCLA without ever going to a football game.” He shook his head. “You’re an immigrant who has missed out on the pinnacle of American culture.”

“What, drinking beer while cheering on huge men knocking each other over? Sounds about right.”

“There’s no drinking at college games, unfortunately. So that’s why everyone’s getting drunk now.” He pointed at a group of people tailgating, a term she knew now.

“You said we’ll get food there, right?” The sight of all the barbecuing was making Rey hungry again.

“Yeah, we’ve got swanky seats. You can have as much food as you want, but be prepared for people to schmooze us like crazy.”

“Oh, so you’re willing to schmooze when there’s football involved?”

“I’m a simple man.” 

Ben hadn’t been lying. Once they were settled in the stadium’s VIP club, Rey had barely started in on her giant serving on nachos when people started coming up and introducing themselves. 

“People need to give us a break,” she whispered to Ben. “My nachos are getting soggy.”

He glanced at her plate and chuckled. “That’s because you put the cheese on the chips, you dummy. The cheese goes on the side. That buys you way more time.” He snagged one and popped it in his mouth. “Here, I’ll hold them off. You eat.”

Rey knew how relieved Ben was when it was time for them to settle in their seats and most people turned their attention to the pre-game activities. He pulled a stack of business cards out of his pocket and held them in his hand like he was playing poker.

“What should I do with these?”

“Hmmm.” Rey pretended to consider it. “I think they’d look really nice on your fridge at home.”

“Or on my mom’s fridge.”

“No wait, I’ve got it. Let’s start dropping them randomly into those fish bowls they have at restaurants.”

Ben laughed. “That’s it! The perfect revenge. Get them onto promotional email lists.”

 

\--

Rey could admit that she was having a fun time at the game. Thanks to Ben, she was sort of, kind of starting to understand football, and the atmosphere of having over 100,000 devoted fans around them was contagious. Ben had explained that this was one of the biggest, most famous stadiums in the world. 

“Is Gwen here?” she asked.

“No, she said she didn’t have tickets. She didn’t go to games when we were in school, either, even though I know she likes football.”

“You could have given her mine.”

“And miss taking you to your first game? No way.”

Rey hoped he didn’t see the triumphant little smile that she couldn’t help from spreading on her face. She had never thought of herself as a petty person, but apparently, she was.

The stadium’s speakers started booming “Mr. Brightside,” and the student section went wild. 

“Wow, I can’t believe these kids know this,” said Ben. “This was big my senior year of high school. These kids were, like, five.”

“Oh, you’re sooo old,” she teased.

“Don’t you forget it.”

“Hey, I’m not that much younger than you.” Weirdly, she felt like reminding him.

“But fresh out of college. When I was your age I was almost done with law school.”

“Some of us didn’t have mummy bankrolling our education.”

“You know, my mom didn’t pay for my college or law school.”

“Wait, really?” She looked at him in surprise, with some newfound respect.

“Not a cent.” His face was dead serious. Then he broke into a grin. “My trust fund from my grandparents did.”

He laughed as she punched him in the arm. “Oh excuse me,” she said sarcastically. “Some of us didn’t have Senator Bail Organa bankrolling our education.”

“I never said it was fair.”

The music changed, and Rey’s eyes drifted to the jumbotron. It had red heart graphics around a couple kissing. Then it switched to another couple and the crowd whooped.

“What is this?” asked Rey.

“It’s the kiss cam. They find random people and make them kiss.”

Instinctively, Rey collapsed in on herself, like an invisible hand had smashed her in half. She made herself as small as possible until she heard the music fade.

“It’s over,” said Ben. She peeked up to see him wearing a wry expression. “You can stop hiding now.”

“I wasn’t hiding.” Rey straightened and smoothed her clothes. “I was protesting. What heteronormative rubbish! And it encourages rape culture!”

“You know, you can stop using your causes as a smoke screen and just admit that you were scared we’d somehow get picked in this enormous crowd.”

“They know you’re here! Maybe they’d try to create a viral moment.”

Earlier in the game, they had announced the VIPs in the stadium, which had made an embarrassed, scowling Ben shrink in _his_ seat.

“That’s quite a conspiracy theory,” said Ben. “Ok, focus.” He pointed at the field. “Wisconsin has the ball and has a chance to tie up before the end. Both teams are undefeated, so there’s a ton riding here.”

The crowd got so loud as the teams lined up for the play that she could barely hear him. Everyone cheered harder when someone got tackled, which Rey took to mean something good had happened for Michigan.

Ben explained excitedly, “Ok, Michigan forced a fourth down. Wisconsin has to go for it here. If Michigan can stop them, it’s basically over.”

The whole crowd seemed to take a collective breath as the quarterback threw the ball into the air, and then erupted in noise when something happened.

“Did you see that?” Ben was practically screaming. 

Her look of confusion must have answered him. 

“That interception!” Ben diverted her attention to the jumbotron, where they showed a Michigan player catching the ball. “That was one-handed! That’s NFL caliber!”

Rey allowed the crowd’s excitement to rub off on her, and soon, she was cheering wildly with everyone else.

“Real football’s not too bad, eh?” asked Ben, as they walked back to their hotel.

“I plead the fifth.”

“It’s not a crime to admit you like football.”

“There’s a lot of neurologists who would disagree with you.”

Ben laughed. “That’s probably true. But that was probably the most fun I’ve had on this whole tour.”

“Only one week left, and then we’ll be back home.”

“May this week go quickly.”

 

* * *

 

As if Ben willed it into existence, the next few days of their tour flew by. By Wednesday, Rey could barely remember what state they were in. She had stayed up late the night before watching the second presidential debate and then reading and watching every take. Because of its town hall setting, Ben and Rey didn’t have to attend, a fact that had delighted Ben to no end.

But now, prepping to give yet another speech at yet another campus, he was back on his whining.

“I cannot do another one of these rallies, I just can’t,” he moaned. 

“Your mom needs all the positive press she can get right now. It’s all over the news that she’s taken a dip in the polls after last night’s debate.” She showed Ben an article on her phone. 

“So what? Those numbers fluctuate all the time.”

“Apparently she made a mistake in one of her answers on foreign policy. Mon Mothma’s all over it.”

Ben shrugged indifferently. 

“Do you not see how important this is? Your mom is a state politician. Foreign policy is her weakest platform. Mothma was on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.”

“So what am I supposed to do about it? If my mom said something dumb, that’s her problem. At least she only has herself to blame here. Although, she’ll probably still find a way to blame me.”

“I wish there was something we could do.” Rey tapped her chin thoughtfully. “I don’t know, distract the media somehow.”

“I think you’re getting an inflated sense of importance.”

“I’ve learned from the best.”

Later, after Ben’s speech, Rey got a phone call from Poe.

“Aren’t you going to ask me what that was about?” she asked a silent Ben when she hung up.

“I don’t actually care.”

“You might. Apparently LeBron James invited us to sit courtside at the Cavaliers game tonight. I know who he is,” she added proudly, making Ben clap for her sarcastically. “I guess he wrote an op-ed on behalf of your mom the other day, and the team got wind of us being in Cleveland today.”

“The other night you promised me we could stop sightseeing on the rest of our stops.”

“I thought you’d be more excited about this. It’s sports. And this may shock you, but I’ve never been to a basketball game.”

He shrugged. “It’s only preseason. The starters are only going to play for, like, five minutes.”

“Wait.” An idea formed in Rey’s head. “Will there be a kiss cam?”

“Probably. Why?”

She poked him in the chest. “We’re going, and we’re getting on that kiss cam.”

“What?” Ben looked so flummoxed she might as well have punched him in the face. “Why?”

“Something to distract the media. A viral moment.”

“What happened to your protest?”

“I’m thinking of the greater good here. Certain sacrifices must be made.”

“Ouch.”

“No, that’s not what I…” Rey’s voice trailed off as her brain decided to start working. If they were on a kiss cam, she’d have to kiss Ben. 

He’d have to kiss her.

Ben seemed to read her mind. “Are you sure you’d be comfortable with that?”

“I told you I would be,” she said, thinking back to their conversation in Florida. She bit her lip nervously as new fears circled her mind.

“What is it?” asked Ben.

“What if it’s a really bad kiss?”

“I appreciate your faith in me,” he deadpanned.

“No, it’s not that.” She waved her hand anxiously without looking at him. “It’s me.” She let out an embarrassed huff. “It’s been a really long time. What if I, I don’t know, _miss_? We need to look like it’s not the first time.”

He chuckled. “I think you’re overthinking this.”

“I’m just nervous.”

“No one is asking you to do this. Also, there’s no guarantee there’d even be a kiss cam, let alone us getting on it.”

“What if we practice?” The words kept pouring out of her mouth, making her feel like an outside observer, reading her own word bubble.

“Practice?”

“Yes,” said Rey confidently, like she had meant to suggest it. Without waiting for a response, she grabbed his arm and marched them up to one of the students in charge. “Is there a private room we can use? No windows.”

The student gave them such a look that Rey hissed tersely, “For campaign purposes.”

The student’s thinly veiled amusement made Rey’s cheeks burn red as he led them to a storage closet and flipped on a light.

“You guys should be left alone in here,” he said.

“Okay, thank you.” Rey’s voice was hurried as she shut the door before she could see his face one more time. 

“You were kind of a jerk to that poor kid considering he was technically on the right track,” said Ben.

“Since when are you a defender of college activists? You should hate him by default.”

“Looks like you’re a little tense,” said Ben. “Maybe I can help with that?”

Her blush was becoming painful. “You can help me by grabbing a couple of chairs,” she said, indicating a stack of folding chairs in the back of the closet.

He took two chairs down and set them up side by side. “You should know that this may be the strangest thing I’ve ever done.”

“I find that very hard to believe. Let’s just do this thing.” She sat down and he followed. “Okay, I’ll set the scene. We’re sitting here, we look up, and ope! There we are.” 

Anxious to get it out of the way, Rey practically jumped right out of her seat and grabbed Ben’s face. Her fears proved to be real when instead of successfully kissing him, she smacked their foreheads together.

“Ouch,” said Ben, rubbing his temple. “If you were trying to prove me wrong that you could miss, you did an excellent job.”

Rey felt like running out of the closet, finding a hole to burrow in, and permanently removing herself from the human population. Maybe in twenty years she’d poke her head out and timidly ask the first passerby who won the 2016 election.

“Here,” said Ben, pulling her hands away from her face. “Let’s try again. Let me come to you this time, okay? Just look my way.”

“Okay.”

“All right. So the kiss cam starts and there we are. I wait for you to swallow your enormous mouthful of hot dog…”

“Oh shut up.” Rey could feel a smile start.

“Obviously I was kidding. You will have long finished inhaling your hot dog. Or hot dogs.”

She elbowed him hard in the ribs.

“Ah ah ah,” he tsked. “That’s not what the audience wants to see. Okay, backing up a step. We show up on the jumbotron. Turn to me, and don’t move.”

She did, her eyes meeting his for a half-second before he leaned in and kissed her gently. It was little more than a peck, but it was enough to send her heart racing. She opened her eyes, which had closed automatically, to find Ben looking at her.

“See?” he said. “Don’t overthink it.”

She couldn’t speak, so she nodded, willing her mouth to close.

“How long has it been for you exactly?”

“London,” she whispered. She usually tried to forget her drunken, frantic make-out sessions in the alley behind the pub where she worked, where she and whatever nameless bloke of the moment chased the kind of high that Ben had given her with one quick, soft kiss. She had entirely given it up by the time she left for the States, focusing solely on maintaining her scholarship and succeeding at school.

“That’s quite a dry spell,” said Ben, no mocking in his voice. “But I think it means we need a bit more practice. Agree?”

She agreed.

Ben kept her entertained by coming up with new scenarios for each time they kissed.

“Okay, now it’s a time out and we’re dancing to ‘Brick House.’”

“Like you would ever,” she laughed.

“Fine, you’re dancing, badly, when _boom_ , we spot ourselves, and…” He leaned in and gave her a kiss. By then, they had mastered the timing and position, and Ben would linger each time for about three seconds.

It wasn’t nearly long enough.

“Now we’re making fun of some hapless loser who failed miserably at the half-court shot challenge, when, _oh no,_ there we are…” He kissed her again, and like each time they had done it, she worried that this would be the last one. She hadn’t forgotten her resolve to not push Ben romantically, but if circumstances provided her an innocent way to learn what his lips felt like, she wasn’t going to say no.

Eventually, her fear was realized.

“Well,” he said, looking around like he had suddenly remembered they were in a supply closet. “The students are probably imagining all kinds of things about our little afternoon delight, so should we call it?”

“Right,” she said quickly, jumping to her feet. They folded and hung their chairs, and endured the knowing looks the students gave them for the rest of the afternoon.

 

\--

 

They did, in fact, end up on the kiss cam that night, thanks to her making friends with the nearest cameraman. (He was planning to vote for Leia, he had been eager to share.) It was quick, easy, and delighted the crowd, and later, the Internet.

Rose, too.

The Cavaliers tweeted the footage. Leia retweeted it. The campaign retweeted it. Every gossip rag ogled it.

Rey saved it to her computer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This concludes our campus tour (but not without a self-indulgent homage to Pittsburgh, my beloved hometown). Next chapter we'll be back in LA and we'll get some much needed insight into the World of Ben.
> 
> The Internet is wild. I can find out the weather in Ann Arbor on any random day in 2016, watch highlights from the UM-Wisc game, learn the Cavs' 2016 preseason schedule, and read the pro-Hillary op-ed that LeBron wrote the week this chapter takes place.
> 
> Thank you as always for the support! <3 (I hope I still have it even after writing the most disappointing "There is One Bed" scene you've ever read!)


	16. October Part II

Back in LA, Rey and Ben settled into a routine. 

Rey spent her days at the campaign headquarters while Ben presumably slept the day away, but when she came home in the evening, they cooked together and binged “Breaking Bad.” Rey was constantly torn between wanting to go out and potentially having a reason to kiss him again, and enjoying their time in their own bubble.

Being together in his apartment, it was hard not to think of them as in a real relationship. He greeted her when she came home. He fed her. He listened to her as she recounted her day, even though she could tell it bored him.

For now, she told herself, she could pretend. It had to be enough.

 

* * *

 

One morning, Rey was surprised to see Ben dressed before her and sitting on the couch, fiddling with his phone.

“Did your phone’s clock break?” she asked. “It’s 9, not noon. Just thought I’d let you know.”

“Yeah, I know. I have plans this morning.”

He never had plans, but she decided not to pry. She poured herself a bowl of Lucky Charms and hovered over the sink as she enjoyed the sugary junk.

“Calm down over there,” called out Ben testily. “I don’t want to have to give you the Heimlich Maneuver.”

“I have to eat it quickly or the marshmallows will get soggy.”

“There’s a difference between ‘eat quickly’ and “act like a vacuum cleaner.’” His tone was so petulant that she set down her bowl and glared at him.

“Go back to bed,” she said. “I don’t like morning Ben.”

He rolled his eyes and sank back into the cushion. “I told you, I have plans.”

“Well, whatever they are, they’re not making you very happy. What is with you anyway?”

To her surprise, he didn’t retort or make some other snide comments. Instead, his gaze fell to the floor. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

After a moment of indecision of whether she should push him to tell her what’s bothering him or let it go, she decided on the latter. 

“I’m headed to headquarters,” she told him when she was ready to go.

He mumbled a good-bye.

“Oh.” She remembered something. “I won’t be around tonight, so don’t worry about me. I’m getting dinner with Finn.”

He set down his phone and looked at her.

“Finn?”

“Yeah, my lawyer?”

“I thought you said you had all your visa stuff squared away.”

“Yeah, we do. We’re mostly meeting up for fun. He’s pretty cool.”

Ben frowned. “You’re still his client. You know, he could be disbarred if you guys sleep together.”

“Uhhh, I wasn’t planning on it, but thanks for the unsolicited advice.” She left before she could hear any snarky response.

 

* * *

 

No matter what Ben implied, Finn Storm was one of the nicest people Rey had ever met. From the moment they first talked on the phone, she had liked the affable, easy-going immigration attorney. He was a true godsend, solving her visa issues quickly, at least for the next year. And the best thing was, every time she mentioned payment, he waved his hand and told her the campaign was taking care of it.

Actually, that wasn’t true. The best thing was that he had become her friend.

They had planned a dinner together to celebrate Rey’s new work visa when she got home from her campus tour, and now, almost a week after her return, they managed to pull it off.

Rey had caught Finn up on the events of their campus tour over fish tacos.

“Before we left, I had been to a total of two states. And now I have been to fourteen,” she told him proudly. 

“That is quite a whirlwind,” said Finn. “My work usually only takes me as far as, like, Bakersfield. Once I had to track down a client’s family member in Tucson. That was pretty exciting.”

“Ooh, like a private investigator? Did you have to do a stake-out?”

“Not quite. When I say I tracked her down, I mean I looked her up in the county records and knocked on her door.”

Rey smiled at him before she dove into her taco. She tried to be conscious of the size of her bites, Ben’s grumpy words from the morning echoing in her mind.

“Mmm,” she said, wiping her mouth carefully. “We had a lot of good food on the trip, but this may be the best.”

“What did you like best, food-wise?”

“Hmm, let me think. Ben would probably say the cheesesteak he had in Philadelphia, but I’ll go with this macaroni cheese - sorry, macaroni _and_ cheese - that I had in Wisconsin. I could write a poem about it.”

“You’re saying it was better than the boxed stuff?” Finn pretended to be shocked.

“Finn, I swear it was more cheese than noodle.”

“A fine ratio.”

“Agreed.” She took another bite of her taco, careful not to let any of the cabbage or salsa spill. Ben would be proud. “But don’t be hating on the boxed stuff. That’s pretty awesome, too. Your wonderful, terrible food is basically the reason I’m trying to stay in the States.”

“Yeah, our food companies are allowed to put all kinds of nasty, harmful, delicious crap in our food.”

“And you have the best cereal. Like, I had Lucky Charms this morning. You can’t find that in England. It’s really worth immigrating for.”

“They’re magically delicious!” said Finn in some weird accent.

“What?”

“Never mind.” Finn gave a little cough. “Anyway, have you thought about what you want to do after the election?”

“I hope it’s not too presumptuous to say, but I’m hoping to go to DC, work for Leia’s administration. You know, if she wins.”

“That’s fair. And will you stab me with a fork if I ask what you’ll do if she loses?”

“I guess I’d try to get a job in local politics, here or somewhere else, I don’t know. Ben has assured me that his mom could help me get in with the City of Los Angeles or the state legislature, but I’m nervous. You know how important it is that I find a permanent job.”

“Yeah.” Finn nodded. “Well, selfishly, I’d love for you to stay here.”

“You’d want to keep hanging out?” 

“Of course!”

Beaming, Rey said, “I’d like that, too. And I’d love to introduce you to my friend Rose. I think you two would hit it off.”

“I am thirty and single,” said Finn with an air of resignation. “I suppose it’s time I accept set-ups.”

“Well, I guess if Leia loses, I at least have that to look forward to. Plus the fact that I’ve lived in LA for four years and have never seen a famous person in the wild, only at the Organa Gala. I can’t leave without that experience.”

“Don’t hold your breath,” warned Finn. “I’ve lived here my whole life and my best celebrity story is that I went to high school with Rob Kardashian, and he’s like the tenth most famous one.”

“Wait.” Rey froze as something distant pinged in her mind. “What did you say?”

“Rob Kardashian?” Finn visibly brightened. “You know him? He’s been getting a lot of press attention lately, with all the Blac Chyna drama.”

“I don’t care about any of that,” she said, waving her hand impatiently. Her heart and mind were both racing through a million scenarios. She calmed herself down enough to ask slowly, “Did you go to high school with Ben Solo?”

For a lawyer, Finn had a terrible poker face. He nobly tried to wipe off the panicked expression that had sprung to his eyes, but it was too late. 

“You know him.” She didn’t pose it as a question.

“Umm…” Finn looked from side to side, like a good response would materialize before him. “I mean, I can remember him if I think hard. Different circles, you know.”

“I’m glad you’re not my criminal defense lawyer, Finn,” she said. “Cause you’re a shite liar. Did he ask you to do this?”

“Okay, he told me not to tell you he had anything to do with it. Just that the campaign covered it, and it’s not a lie, per se. He is part of the campaign.”

“Why would he…” Rey thought back on their timeline. She had confessed to Ben that her visa was in trouble the night of their first fundraiser in San Diego, when she had yelled at him for almost punching that guy.

It was only a few days later that she had gotten a phone call from Finn. Had her words made that much of an impression on Ben? They had been little more than acquaintances at that point, co-workers who tolerated each other.

“I don’t know,” said Finn. “We’re not particularly close. We ran into each other some time ago and I told him I was practicing immigration. He must have remembered, because he called me a couple of months back asking if I’d do him a favor.”

“Has he been paying you?”

“No, no, no.” Finn was quick to dispel that. “I swear your case was an easy one, and don’t take this the wrong way, but it’s not the worst thing to be owed a favor by the potential president’s son. And then I met you, and of course, I wanted to help you.”

“This is a lot to take in,” said Rey.

“I get that you didn’t know, and I don’t know why he didn’t tell you, but I mean, he’s your boyfriend. Looking out for you is kind of his job.”

Rey had a few tortilla chips left on her plate, but she sacrificed them to focus her nervous energy on gathering her trash and walking it to the bin.

That was a huge thing Ben had done for her, and she couldn’t quite wrap her head around it. The question was, what would she do with this information? 

Should she bring it up? How? 

This morning he had gotten testy when she said she had plans with Finn. Had Ben been jealous? Did she mean more to him than she had been giving herself credit for?

Or was he just being a friend? But why keep it a secret? She wanted to make Finn recount in detail every single thing Ben had said about her, but that seemed desperate and pathetic. Instead, she asked him about high school Ben.

“He’s so cryptic about his younger years,” she said. “Give me some good blackmail material.”

“Well, we were on the swim team together. He shaved his chest, and even his arms and legs for our meets.”

She giggled. “What about you?”

Finn slouched a little. “Yeah. Does Ben still?”

“At least his chest.” She hadn’t had the kind of opportunities to investigate in detail that Finn was imagining. “Did you guys wear Speedos?”

“Nah. We had these skin-tight trunks.” He chuckled. “Ben was the tallest. They rode up on his thighs.”

Was it creepy that she was imagining it? Probably creepy.

“What was he like?”

Finn spoke thoughtfully. “He was really quiet. Sometimes he’d join in our joking, and he was this dry, sarcastic jackass, but a lot of the time he kept to himself. He was shy. We had to ask his prom date out for him.”

“Oh? And who was that?”

“You mean the girl that Ben went on one date with in 2004 and who I’m pretty sure is married with kids now?” 

“Forgive me for being curious,” said Rey sheepishly.

“Anyway, I stayed in town for school and he went north. We hung out a few times during college breaks, but I haven’t seen him much over the past few years.” Finn’s face brightened. “Hey, we should do a double date!”

Rey was feeling antsy, so she made her excuses and headed home, wrestling with herself the whole way. By the time she was unlocking the apartment door, she had resolved to talk to Ben. It was a risk. They lived together and still had an election to get through, including plenty of press at Leia’s third debate in a few days, but it was time. She needed to clear the air, get a sense of where Ben’s head was.

If there was a chance for them to be real.

But Ben wasn’t there. And as the evening turned to night, he still didn’t show up.

She reminded herself that he had plans. He wasn’t necessarily avoiding her. As the hours crept on, though, she began to worry. She waited in the living room, hoping to catch him, but eventually her tiredness won out and she laid on her futon, mindless scrolling on her laptop.

She jolted awake to the sound of Ben cursing loudly. Confused for a minute, she realized she must have fallen asleep as she was waiting up like the parent of a teenager. Based on the sounds of Ben stumbling around, he was drunk as a skunk.

Her concern evaporated quickly into anger as she listened to him crash land into his room. She peeked into his room to see him sleeping on his side, fully clothed. Satisfied that he probably wouldn’t die overnight (although she wasn’t opposed to the idea), she returned to her room and began searching his name.

It was in the afternoon the next day that a ragged looking Ben came into the kitchen, searching through his cupboards. He took a few pills and turned on his Keurig machine. When he leaned against the counter, sipping his coffee, Rey switched off CNN and came into the kitchen with her arms crossed.

“Well, look who’s up,” she said, not bothering to lower her voice. Ben jumped at the sound, and then winced, rubbing his head.

“Why are you home?” He squinted at her. 

“I’ve been babysitting your drunk arse,” she snapped. “I’ve been up all night, first worrying that you weren’t coming home, and then making sure you weren’t choking on your own vomit and watching the Internet for any pictures or videos of you floating around. What were you thinking, Ben? Drinking in public? What if you had been seen? What if someone had recognized you? What if someone had posted something? What if you had gotten a DUI?” 

Her voice got louder with each question. It served Ben right if he had a pounding headache for the rest of the week.

“I took an Uber. I have to get my car later.”

“Oh, well that’s just great. So some Uber driver out there has your name? Maybe they haven’t called the news networks yet, but they could. Who know what you were saying in that car?”

“I used a dummy account; I’m not an idiot,” mumbled Ben. 

“The fact that you even have a dummy account for drunken Uber rides is the problem here.” She wanted to rip the coffee mug from his hands and throw it against the wall. “Are you even sure you used it? Were you thinking straight? I go out for one bloody night and you turn into a frat boy. Think of the damage you could do to your mom’s campaign. You may not care about it, but I do. And you should, too. And it’s my job, my reputation, my _visa_ , on the line here. I have one job, and one job only, to make you seem like an adult, if even just for a few more weeks and yet I can’t keep you from stumbling all over town like a thirty-year-old toddler!”

Ben took Rey’s idea and flung his mug against the wall. The loud crash filled the apartment, and cranked Rey’s rage up a few more notches. He was not allowed to be angry, too.

“Grow the hell up, Ben!”

“I am so sick of your judgmental, high horse bull _shit_ ,” he hissed viciously, whirling on her. “I can’t handle it. Not today.” His voice cracked on the last word. He stormed out of the kitchen and collapsed on the couch.

“No,” she said, following him. “You don’t get to just leave without explaining yourself. You were pissy yesterday, too. Something is clearly bothering you. If there’s a problem, then we need to deal with it, together. I’m here for you.”

He stared at the floor, unresponsive, before he stalked off to the shower. Rey slid to the floor and tucked her face in her knees, trying not to cry as her sleepless night caught up to her.

She was still there when Ben returned. He joined her on the floor, leaning against the opposite loveseat so that he was near her but not facing her. 

There was a long silence as Rey waited patiently for Ben to speak first.

“Yesterday was the anniversary of my dad’s passing,” he said flatly.

“Oh, Ben.” She reached out her hand to touch his knee. He glared at it, and she yanked it back.

“Yesterday was the anniversary of my dad’s passing,” Ben said again, slower. “And my mom forgot.”

“Your mom is really busy,” defended Rey automatically.

“I know that,” snarled Ben. He crumpled in on himself. “She always is. That’s why we have one morning a year where we go out and remember my dad. That’s all I’ve ever asked.”

“What do you do?”

He stared at the coffee table. “There’s this diner. Well, I should back up. Look, my parents could not have been raised more differently. My mom, well, I guess you know. Her dad was this megarich business mogul turned politician, and she was raised like a princess. My dad even called her princess. But in, like, a sarcastic way.”

Rey began to suspect that Ben was a bit like his dad.

“They had a lot of problems. Obviously. Anyway, my dad was from this working class family. His dad was this deadbeat, and his mom had all these health problems and died young. Basically, he was from nothing and had no one. He got out thanks to the Air Force, and met my mom the day my grandparents died in the bombing. If that’s not a terrible start to a relationship, I don’t know what is.

“I know by all accounts, I had a perfect childhood, but…” He paused here. His eyes met Rey’s like he was asking for permission to finish his sentence. Her, the poster child for Bad Childhood. She nodded encouragingly. “But sometimes they made it hard. I didn’t want for anything in a temporal sense. I had food, a nice house, toys, all of it. But I just wanted their time. My dad was gone a lot. For many years, he didn’t even live in LA. And my mom, she worked constantly. I used to always tell my classmates that my nanny was my mom. I even wished it.”

His voice trailed off, lost in a memory. Somehow Rey felt like he wanted to share, wanted to get some stuff off of his chest, so she prompted him.

“And the diner?”

“Right. So my dad was never comfortable in my mom’s lifestyle. She had a large inheritance that meant we lived well. But he hated society, the gala, all of it. There was...is...this nasty old greasy spoon diner in Inglewood that he loved. He went for breakfast all the time. He was happy there, at ease. He took me sometimes. The few times when my mom came too are some of my best memories.

“So on the one year anniversary of his passing, my mom came to visit me in Palo Alto and we ended up finding some diner and we ate all of his favorite things and shared memories and left this enormous tip for the waitress. It’s become our tradition. We’ve never missed a year, no matter where we are or what we’re doing, not until…” 

His voice got thick, and Rey looked away from him until he was ready to continue.

“Anyway.” He coughed a little, clearing his throat. “It’s just a sign of things to come.”

“Ben.” She braved reaching out her hand and touching him again. He didn’t react, so she let her hand rest on his knee. “Your mom cares. She has a ton on her mind right now. I’m sure if you reminded her…”

“I _did_ ,” he thundered. He pulled his legs to his chest, knocking off her hand. Burying his face in his knees, he continued, “I called her just a couple of days ago. She didn’t answer, so I left her a voicemail _and_ sent her a text telling her I’d be here, ready to go, asking if I should meet her somewhere, that I was willing to travel. She never responded, but I gave her the benefit of the doubt. Yesterday I got up early and sat here like a pathetic little puppy waiting to hear anything, watching the news and all of her social media accounts, trying to figure out what she was doing that was more important than…”

Again, his voice thickened, making her heart twist.

“I thought that maybe she’d come at the last minute, or at least call, apologizing profusely. I didn’t expect total radio silence. Eventually, I gave up waiting and I couldn’t be alone anymore, so I went to the first bar I found. I didn’t talk to anyone. I watched the baseball playoffs and then wallowed in my own self-pity like a child.”

“I’m sorry I wasn’t here. If I had known...”

“You don’t owe me anything.” His voice was hollow. “You know, it was election season when he died, too. My mom was running for governor for the first time. I was a freshman at Stanford.”

Rey remembered that Ben had told her that the last time he had seen his dad was at the Organa Gala right after he started college.

“I was such a disaster that fall. I wasn’t exactly social in high school, but I had a few friends and had managed to keep my head above water. But I knew I didn’t belong at Stanford. One of the buildings where I had class was named after Bail Organa. It was a great little reminder that I didn’t deserve to be there, every day. And my mom’s name was splashed over everything, for the campaign. I tried to keep people from finding out who I was, but that didn’t work of course.”

He rubbed his hand wearily across his face. “I hated school, I hated everyone I went to school with, I hated everything about it. A few weeks after the gala, I decided to give up and come back home. I drove all the way down to LA on a whim, planning to quit school. But then I found…”

He closed his eyes tight.

“You don’t have to tell me anything you don’t want to,” she said softly.

“No, it’s…” He sighed with his whole body. “I’m tired of keeping it to myself. And you want my mom to win the election, so I can trust that you won’t go spilling my family’s dirty laundry to the press.”

“I would never, I swear, no matter what you said.”

He nodded. “You remember that guy Lando, from San Diego?”

How could she forget the guy that Ben had almost punched out of nowhere?

“Yes.”

“I never told you who he was. He was my dad’s best friend from his Air Force days. My dad eventually retired, but Lando stayed and became a general. But they always stayed close. I called him my uncle.” He scoffed. “That day I drove home, ready to drop out of school, I found my mom and Lando, together. Not actually in the act of, well, you know, a fact that I’m grateful for every day of my pitiful life.

“Turned out that my parents had been separated for years but had been hiding it. My mom had spent most of my adolescent years in Sacramento, and my dad was all over the place, which they always used as an excuse for being apart, and I think I was deliberately ignorant. It shouldn’t have been a great shock. They fought all the time.

“But seeing Lando there, whatever pieces of me were even left at that point, crumbled. Home didn’t feel like home, nowhere did. I needed to be away. I jumped back in my car and drove all night back to Stanford, where I could be holed up in my own world. I didn’t leave my dorm for a good week, crying and hating my mom and hating the world.”

At this point, he stood and paced up and down the living room, never looking at Rey.

“When I was so torn apart I felt like I couldn’t handle one more minute, I called my dad. I cried like a baby. I accused him of lying, of ruining my life. And I told him about Lando. He didn’t know.” He hung his head. “I was just so pissed at my mom, I didn’t care who I hurt as long as I could punish her. I didn’t think about how I would make Dad feel.”

“But whatever pain he was feeling, he only cared about me. He could tell I was falling apart, and he told me he’d be on the next flight to San Francisco. He didn’t care that his son was a useless shut-in who, who, who listened to _Transatlanticism_ on repeat. He wanted to be there for me.” 

He coughed again, trying to cover up a choked sob.

“Like twenty minutes after we hung up, he texted me that his buddy had a private plane that could come right into Palo Alto and get him there even sooner. And well, you know the rest.”

Slowly, Rey rose to her feet and approached him from behind, touching his arm gently.

“It wasn’t your fault, Ben.”

Ben spun and faced her angrily. “Did you not hear anything I said? My dad died because I was a pathetic, needy child. And because of me, he died knowing that his wife and his best friend betrayed him.”

“He was trying to help you. It was a tragic accident.”

“Yeah, I used to tell myself that.” He sat back on the couch, and Rey followed, leaving as much space in between them as she could manage. “Your first year of law school they teach you the difference between actual and proximate cause. Yes, the plane crashing was the actual cause of my dad dying. However, for every incident, there is a proximate cause, a ‘but-for’ cause. _But for_ me calling my dad, he would still be alive. I was the proximate cause.”

“What happened with your mom?” Rey’s voice was barely above a whisper.

“That was the worst part,” said Ben, his head in his hands. “She used it. She _used_ it. She dropped Lando like a hot potato, which was maybe the only good outcome of all this shit, and then acted like this grieving widow for the last few weeks of her election. Everyone ate it right up, Lieutenant Governor Organa’s noble military vet husband, gone too soon. Obviously, the sympathy vote worked.”

“So when Lando showed up in San Diego…”

“That was the first time I had seen him since all this happened. That fall, he had been up for his second or third star general rating, so their break-up or whatever you’d call it was good for him, too. He didn’t want to be caught up in an affair with the public servant Leia Organa. I’m the only one who knows I think. I mean, my parents were technically separated, so arguably, they weren’t doing anything wrong, but the court of public opinion is harsh.

“When I saw him there in San Diego, I saw red. He needs to stay far, far away from me, my mom, and this campaign. Maybe he thought enough time had passed.”

The murderous look on Ben’s face indicated that it hadn’t.

“In fact, I didn’t even talk to my mom for almost a year. But she came to me on the one-year anniversary, begging to reconcile. We ended up at that diner, and well, it worked.”

“But if…” Rey couldn’t help but ask. “But if all this happened, why do you want to grieve with your mom?”

“Because,” said Ben, voice breaking, “for all of their problems, I know my mom loved my dad. If I don’t have her, I don’t have anyone to remember my dad. That year, grieving alone, was the hardest of my life.”

“I’m so sorry, Ben.”

“I wouldn’t talk to her, but my mom managed to pull a few strings at Stanford that fall, and I got to withdraw without consequences, and start fresh in the winter.” He laughed bitterly. “It was a joke that I got into Stanford in the first place, but it was especially a joke that I got in for law school, too. You’re not the first to accuse me of coasting on my name, and it’s more true than most people know.

“She asked me for permission to run for president, you know. Years ago. She had finished her terms as governor, so obviously she had no purpose anymore. The only role left was president. I decided to be honest and I told her I didn’t want her to run. She told me to ‘grow up,’ a phrase you’re very familiar with.”

His voice wasn’t accusatory or confrontational, simply sad.

“I didn’t want to go through an enormous election or be dragged into an entire presidency. But even more selfishly, I knew that if she did this, I’d fall even further down her priority list. I can already see it happening. Without my mom, I’ve got no one.”

Carefully, Rey reached out to take Ben’s hand. She cradled it gently, and eventually, Ben’s fingers curled slightly around her own.

“I’m here,” she said. “You’re not alone.”

Ben dropped her hand like it had burned him and laughed bitterly. “You? You’re just like the rest of them.”

His tone was so biting that she nearly jumped.

“What?”

“Everyone, from growing up, to college, to law school, to my career, has wanted a piece of my mom. All my so-called friends, all my classmates, all my colleagues. It was bad when she was governor, but it’s gotten so much worse with this campaign. I can’t tell you how many ‘hey, how ya doing’ messages I’ve gotten from old acquaintances out of nowhere in the past couple months, you know, just randomly. What a coincidence!

“My ex-girlfriend that Gwen mentioned? She asked if I had ever considered changing my name to Organa, so obviously I dumped her in a hot second. And Gwen herself! You heard her. Apparently she attends fundraisers and has dinner with my mom now.”

“What do any of those people have to do with me?” Rey practically shouted. She was anxious to prove that she was different, that she cared.

“Rey, I literally met you because you were working for this campaign. Your _job_ is to be with me. You even said that once, that my mom paid you to hang out with me. I bet they gave you more money to play along with this fake girlfriend ruse.”

“How did you know that?” The words were out before she could think about them.

“Well, I didn’t,” said Ben darkly. “But I do now.”

“Ben!” Rey knew that this was her chance to prove him wrong, to give him the speech of a lifetime, but she couldn’t summon any of the right words. No matter the emotions that ran through her mind, she only managed to croak out, “You are important. You are important to me.”

“You don’t mean that, Rey,” said Ben, getting to his feet. Before he disappeared into the hallway, he added, “I know what’s important to people like you.”

 

* * *

 

The rest of the weekend passed as awkwardly as if they were two people thrust together who had never spoken. Ben essentially vanished into his bedroom, emerging only to grab some food. The only words they exchanged in two days were some mumbled “sorry”s once when they bumped into each other going to the bathroom. 

Ben’s laptop and Xbox disappeared with him. Every few hours, she would check on @Kyl0R3n, to make sure he was alive in there. She didn’t understand anything he was tweeting or what he was arguing about ad nauseum, but she gathered that he was playing a lot of _Silencer_ , and it wasn’t making him happier.

Rey desperately wanted to talk to him, but he wasn’t making it easy. She knew that he was deliberately avoiding any conversation with her whatsoever. Whenever she saw him, he power walked away from her before she could even get out a “good morning.”

On Monday, they were flying to Boston for the final debate. It would be another large televised event, where the American public would expect them to put on a cutesy show.

The very thought made Rey ill. Ben wouldn’t say two words to her. How were they going to pretend to be a happy couple? As she wasted time around the apartment, too nervous to leave the apartment and Ben alone, the hours leading up to Monday seemed to pass simultaneously painfully slow as well as way too fast.

She wasn’t sure if she’d even be able to get Ben to the event at this point. Maybe she’d get fired.

However, on Sunday night, she was fiddling around on her laptop when Ben stepped into the living room. She pretended not to notice, but he coughed a little.

“Uh, hey,” he said.

Trying and failing to stay cool, Rey snapped her laptop shut and came to attention. “Hey.”

“So, uh, we’re leaving for the debate tomorrow.”

“Yep.” She watched his face carefully. It didn’t change.

“Tomorrow night, my mom wants to have dinner. She, uh, figured out what happened.”

He paused for an uncomfortable amount of time, so Rey said, “That’s good.”

“She’s on the Leia Organa Apology Tour,” he said grimly. “I’m very familiar with it. Anyway, she wants both of us to come.”

“Uh, okay, cool.”

“And Rey?” He twiddled his fingers anxiously.

“Yeah?”

“She thinks we’re actually dating.”

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've had this chapter in my head since I started this story, but it still wrecked me to write it.
> 
> I'm working hard to get the next chapter up, which I promise will make you a lot happier. 
> 
> Sound off below!


	17. October Part III

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A fateful dinner

“I’m sorry, what?” 

Days of waiting for Ben to talk to her, and all of the speeches she had prepared for when he finally did flew out the window.

“I said,” he continued, stilling his twitching fingers by clenching them into fists, “My mother wants us to have dinner with her in Boston, and she thinks you’re my real girlfriend.”

“Ben, why does your mother think we’re dating?” 

“Um, well, she asked and I didn’t exactly deny it.”

“And by that you mean…”

“I told her we were actually dating.” He unclenched his fists and thrust them in his pockets, shuffling his foot.

“You’re going to need to back up a bit for me here,” said Rey. “Cause this whole fake dating thing was Poe’s and Amilyn’s idea. Did your mom not know?”

“No, she knew at the beginning, I think,” he assured her. “But…” He took a visible breath. “She called me a couple weeks back, and she seemed to be under the impression that things had...changed. And she was so happy about it. She is never happy with me, Rey. So to have her acting like I made her whole year? I stupidly just went along with it.” 

His voice got a little faster and more desperate as he spoke, all while staring at his shoes. She waited until he looked at her before she responded.

“It feels weird to lie to your mom.”

“How is it different than lying to the whole world?”

“I don’t know. This is your life.”

“And all the stuff before wasn’t my life?”

“It feels different,” she said, struggling to explain. She wanted to talk to him about the conversation they had had the other day, but the words wouldn’t come.

“Whatever,” said Ben, toeing at the ground again. “But I was wondering if maybe you could pretend again, for my mom? It’s just one night. And then, well, the debate I guess. But I swear, after the election, I’ll tell her we broke up or something. I’m sure she’ll blame me.”

“Yeah, okay.” Rey hated hearing him talking about their break-up, real or otherwise, but she had no right to feel that way.

“You’re a good friend, Rey,” said Ben. Then he clenched his fists again. “We’re still friends, right?”

“Of course.” She smiled at him with everything she could muster. “Maybe we could start _Breaking Bad_ back up? I’m dying to know what happens next, and it’s not as fun by myself.”

He laughed and settled into the couch, reaching for the remote.

 

* * *

 

Leia was staying in a luxury home in an old neighborhood in Boston, lent to her by one of friends. (Or “ _friends,_ ” as Ben called them.) As they waited on the doorstep, Rey could feel Ben anxiously shuffling beside her. He had been like that all day, in the airport, on the plane, and in the car ride over. Now that his noise-cancelling headphones were off for the first time in about twelve hours, Rey whispered to him.

“It will be okay,” she said. “We’ve done this before.” She reached out her hand. He grasped it firmly and nodded.

The fancy red front door swung open.

“Rey!” cried Leia, reaching out for a hug. Leia gave her a tight squeeze before releasing her and stepping on her tiptoes to pull Ben in.

“I am so, so sorry about missing breakfast,” she murmured loud enough for Rey to pick up. 

“I know, Mom,” said Ben, returning the hug. “It’s fine.”

“It’s not,” insisted Leia, pulling back and wiping a tear. To Rey, she said, “The only good thing about me being so scatter-brained this fall is that at least I can know that Ben has you. I’m glad you were there for him that day, honey.”

Rey tried to offer her a weak smile as her stomach twisted with guilt. She was grateful when Leia turned away from her to lead them inside. In the kitchen, Ben looked warily at the large array of catering dishes spread on the marble island.

“Who’s coming, Mom?”

“No one,” said Leia brightly. “I even dismissed the household staff. And,” she added with gusto, “It took some finagling, but I cleared tomorrow morning if you wanted to get breakfast.”

She got right to fussing over the dishes, as if worried to see his response.

“This is unusual,” whispered Ben. “She likes to have a buffer when we have dinner together.” He paused and looked at Rey keenly. “I guess that’s you.”

“So, kids,” said Leia, the overeager hostess, “I’ve got all of Benji’s favorites here.”

“What you’ve got is enough food for the neighborhood,” said Ben.

“Don’t act like you can’t eat it all,” said Leia. She patted Ben’s stomach fondly. “You should have seen this boy eat in high school. I could never keep the kitchen stocked. I began to worry that the Department of Health was going to come poking around after we wiped out every store of pizza rolls for three years straight.”

Ben crossed his arms. “I’m not fifteen anymore, swimming two miles a day and growing an inch a month. I can only grow wider now.”

“You’re definitely doing a good job of it, though,” said Leia, now poking at his chest. “I see you’ve been spending your work leave in the gym.”

“Is that so bad?” asked Ben.

“I’m sure Rey is not complaining.” She winked at Rey, who tried not to visibly cringe.

“Ohhhhkay, Mom. You were telling us about the food?”

“Right.” Leia identified all the cartons. Her hand stilled as she pointed to the last one, and she looked up guiltily. “I didn’t even think to ask about your favorites, Rey. What kind of hostess am I?”

“It’s quite alright,” Rey was quick to assure her. “I’m not picky. This all looks brilliant.”

“It’s not alright. Benji finally brings home a girl I like, and the least I can do is try to impress you.”

“Well, I met your son because I worked for your campaign.” Rey attempted to joke. “So I think you already had that covered.”

Leia laughed. “Well, okay then. Next time.” She clapped her hands. “Okay, you two. Fill a plate, and take it to the dining room right there.”

Ben grabbed a plate and reached for a serving spoon, only to have his wrist slapped by his mother.

“What the hell, Mom?”

“I don’t see Rey with a plate,” chided Leia. “You let your girlfriend go first.”

“Rey is a feminist, Mom. Like you’re supposed to be. She doesn’t want me to do that kind of thing.”

“Ah, no,” said Leia, shaking her finger. “Faux chauvinism may be bullshit in many cases, but in my home, my son will treat his girlfriend with respect.”

“That doesn’t make any sense!” cried Ben. “I was trying to respect her by not adhering to outdated rules like ladies first. I suppose that you expect me to open doors for her or carry her suitcase, but if I tried with anyone else, I’d be projecting some kind of, I don’t know, damsel in distress narrative. This is why men can never win.”

“Oh, men can never win, huh? Don’t even get me started on the institutionalized privileges that men have in our society.”

“Believe me, I don’t want to.” Ben stepped back from the island and gestured widely to the array of food. “Here you are, Rey,” he said, shoving a plate into her hand. “Your weak feminine frame must leave you _so_ famished. Please allow me to scoop for you so your delicate wrists don’t collapse under the weight of this single-use plastic serving spoon that will surely end up in the ocean my mother purports to care about so much.” He glared at his mom. “Was that what you wanted?”

“And you told me you flunked your drama class because it just wasn’t your thing.”

Rey jumped in. “This all looks so good that I think I’ll try a bit of each. It was thoughtful of you to provide so many of Ben’s favorites, Leia.”

“Yeah,” agreed Ben, deflating a bit. “It was.”

They were quiet as they dished their plates and settled in to the dining room. They all attempted some civil small talk as they ate, discussing their flights here and arrangements for the debate the next day. When they were picking at food on their second helpings, Leia set down her fork and met Rey’s eyes.

“So, Rey,” she said, business-like. “Tell me about yourself. Benji has barely told me anything, and most of the stuff I’ve learned about you I’ve had to hear from Poe.”

“Well, there’s not much to say,” started Rey anxiously. “Obviously, I’m from England. London, actually. I had to start college a couple years late, but I recently graduated in poli sci.”

“I know all that,” said Leia. “Poe told me you’re the best TA he’s ever had. He said he even put you up for an award?”

“Uh, yeah. Student Employee of the Year. I didn’t win or anything, but it’s still nice to have the nomination for my resume.”

“Of course,” said Leia, nodding approvingly. “But I want to know stuff I can’t learn from Poe Dameron. Tell me about your family.”

Next to her, Ben stiffened. “She doesn’t need to talk about that, Mom.”

“It’s okay, Ben.” Rey gently touched his arm. “I was raised by my mum until I was about nine, when I had to go live with my uncle. I haven’t seen her since. I never knew my dad. But hey, at least Ben never has to suffer any in-laws!” It was a stupid joke, but Rey felt her face turn crimson. “I mean, not that there would be in-laws. Or that you’d be a bad in-law. And I’m not trying to say we’re getting married.” She stopped her word vomit by burying her face in her hands.

She peeked through her fingers to see Leia laughing.

“I wouldn’t be so sure, dear,” said Leia. “I think my boy’s pretty smitten.” She reached out across the table to pat Rey’s hand. “I’m sorry about your family. But you have us now.”

Rey looked at her plate, concentrating hard on fighting the tears she could feel welling up.

“You should ask her instead about some of her hobbies,” said Ben. “I keep finding out more. For instance, she’s incredible at pinball. I spent years playing Space Cadet Pinball on our PC and she can still beat me.”

Rey smiled gratefully at him.

“This guy has started making me go to the gym with him,” she said, elbowing him. “Of course I have to do a way truncated version of his workout. He’s a machine.”

Leia watched them with a huge smile on her face. “Oh, I just knew you two were meant to be,” she said. “That’s why I arranged for you to go to the gala together. You two looked so good. And now you’re together.” She sighed. “It makes this mama’s heart so happy.”

“I thought I went to the gala on behalf of the campaign,” said Rey. She punched Ben playfully. “Keep this one in line.”

“Oh yes, yes, yes.” Leia waved her hand impatiently. “That was maybe 5 percent of it. But when Benji told me about his little crush on his assistant, Mama had to step in.”

“Mom!” Ben was clearly alarmed. “That is not at all what happened.”

“Okay, fine,” said Leia. “He never said crush. But I raised this boy, and I can read between the lines. I knew it from the moment he came up to my hotel room at the convention, whining that some girl named Rey had barged in to insist he attend my speech. He doesn’t listen to just anyone.”

“I’ll remind you that I was actually pissed off,” said Ben.

“You were under his skin,” said Leia, still talking to Rey. “Then, weeks later when I called him about the gala, he got on to a rant about his beautiful, frustrating, annoying, brilliant assistant, I had as much as confirmed it by then.”

“Mom!” Ben practically yelped.

“Then we’re dancing at the gala,” continued Leia, ignoring him. “It’s our tradition, you see, but Ben only wanted to dance with you. He kept watching you.”

“That’s not true,” protested Ben.

“It’s all water under the bridge!” Leia shook her head affectionately. “You’re together now. Why does it matter if she knows how quickly you fell? I imagine this one took a bit longer, but who can blame her?” She winked at Rey.

“Why did you tell reporters that we were dating?” asked Rey, managing to find her voice. “We weren’t.”

Leia laughed. “I didn’t. Not really. Just used a teeny bit of political maneuvering. It worked, didn’t it? You played the fake game for a bit, but I knew it wouldn’t take long to turn real.”

Ben hunched over his food, scowling.

“I’m only teasing you, sweetie,” Leia told him. “I couldn’t be more thrilled that you and Rey found each other.”

The dining room filled with the sound of Ben’s chair legs scraping against the floor. He grabbed his plate and disappeared into the kitchen. Rey and Leia were silent until they heard a door slam shut.

“That boy never could handle a good ribbing,” sighed Leia.

“Actually, I think he handles it fine,” defended Rey, thinking about all the times she had teased him.

“He’ll cool off in a minute.” Leia’s phone rang. “In the meantime, I need to take this. Don’t clean up, dear. I’ll get it.”

In most instances, Rey would never have let anyone clean up after her, but she had more important things to attend to. She stepped into the kitchen and circled the room, guessing which door had made the noise.

Following her instincts, she pulled the heavy back door that lead to an elaborate backyard, complete with a fountain. She scanned the garden until she spotted Ben’s back, hunched over a fence.

“Hey,” she called out, stepping closer. He didn’t turn. “You okay?”

“Why wouldn’t I be?” he asked. “Always a good time with the great Leia Organa.”

“Ben, what was that back there?” She worried that her voice sounded accusatory, but she was trying to power through her fear. In the past, Rey might have changed the subject, or tried to distract him with a joke or anecdote, but it wasn’t time for that. Leia’s remarks had raised a lot of questions in Rey’s mind, and it was time to ask them. It was time to be brave.

She had gotten close enough to Ben that she could see him grip the fence rail in front of him, hard enough to snap it, before he attempted to deflect. “She was putting on a show,” he said.

Rey felt like they were standing on the edge of a cliff, gravel lose under their feet. There was still time to step back, safely, return to the status quo. It was what Ben was trying to do. They’d each be a little heartbroken, but their feet would be on solid ground. 

But she didn’t want to step back anymore. She was ready to tumble forward into the abyss, and hope that Ben would catch her. The risk, terrifying as it was, was worth the fall.

“Ben, I know about Finn.”

Ben gripped the fence again, but when he spoke, he kept his voice even.

“Your lawyer? What about him?”

“We both know what I’m talking about.” 

Ben’s shoulders slumped.

“He wasn’t supposed to tell you.”

“It wasn’t his fault,” said Rey. “Actually, you know what? It was both your faults for thinking that knowing _Rob bloody Kardashian_ is a good story. I figured it out. Why did you lie about it?”

“I didn’t. I believe I told you I didn’t know every lawyer in LA, which is true.”

Rey was tired of talking to his back, so she stepped forward and spun him around. He didn’t resist, but his eyes found the ground instead of hers.

“That’s as good as a lie,” she said. She grabbed his hands and forced him to look at her. “I want to know why you did it. Why you helped me, months ago.”

“Why don’t you just ask my mom?” he asked bitterly, eyes shifting again. “She seems happy enough to spill.”

“No,” said Rey, yanking on his hands again. “Leave your mom out of this. At this point, she has nothing to do with us. I want to know why you helped me. Did you pity me, or, or, or…” As courageous as she was feeling, she still couldn’t summon certain words.

“You needed help. All I did was make a phone call.”

She scoffed. “Remember when you put off calling your power company for like three weeks over the discrepancy in your bill and it ended up being a thirty second phone call? Nothing is simply making a phone call for you.”

“Finn is a friend.”

“He says you haven’t spoken in years. Ben.” She refused to let go of his hands, even as his felt lax in her grip. “What you did for me was huge. Not only did it ease a burden I carried around with me every day, but more importantly, I felt cared for. I’ve spent my entire life looking out for myself. You made me feel seen, like someone gave a damn about my problems. It means the world to me. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” he said stiffly.

“I don’t know if you did it because you were my friend, or because you felt something more.” She dropped his hands, needing to steel herself to say the next part. She gathered all of her courage. “Either way, I’m appreciative, but I hope, I really hope, it’s the latter.”

She was too scared to watch his face, so she stared on his chest. His breathing was heavy enough to be visible through his black sweater. After a lengthy silence in which she was mentally penning her resignation note and moving to Rose’s couch, he said, “You do?”

Her head snapped up at his unmistakable hopeful tone. He was so tall when they were this close to each other. But she forced herself to look directly into his eyes when she said, “I really do.”

The air sizzled between them as Ben searched her face. She licked her lips automatically and could swear he did the same when his eyes settled on her movement. 

The moment broke when he clenched his fists and turned away, toward the house. It was a move Rey recognized by now. There were so many times, on the campaign trail or in his apartment, when things felt tense between them and he backed out. Over and over, Rey had assumed that the idea of the two of them repulsed him.

But now, armed with the insights he gave her after his dad’s death, she knew what was holding him back.

She grabbed his hand and pulled him back to her.

“No, Ben,” she said. “You’re not avoiding this conversation. Not this time.” She rushed to continue before he could escape. “I’ve thought a lot about the things you said about people in your life using you. That is not me, not now.”

“How can I believe you?” His voice was defeated.

“Look, I get it,” she said. “We met because of this campaign. I became your assistant as a way to get in with your mom, to further my career. That is absolutely true, and there’s no point in denying it. I get that you have no reason to believe I’m any different than anyone else.” She squeezed his hand. “But, oh, how I wish you could trust me that that is not what you mean to me now.”

“And what _do_ I mean to you now?”

“You’re the best friend I have. But that’s not enough anymore. I like you, like, like you like you.”

He huffed a laugh. “So we’re thirteen?”

She shoved him. “Shut up. I’m not good at this, okay? I told you, I’ve never done this before.” 

Now free from her grasp, he crossed his arms. “You’re doing a bang-up job, let me tell you.”

“You have not made this any easier for me,” she said, his responses making her tender feelings into anger. “Why have you rebuffed me at every turn? You wouldn’t even sleep in my bed!”

“Oh come off it,” he said harshly. “You were clearly uncomfortable that night. I don’t make a habit to share beds with women who look like the very idea will make them throw up.”

“So the alternative was to make you think you were having sex with the amazing Gwen Phasma?”

“What?” He tugged at his hair. “I didn’t have sex with her. Even if it were like that between us, which it isn’t, she wouldn’t have wanted to sleep with the sad sack I was that night. I was all depressed because you didn’t like me back.”

“So you do have feelings for me?” She was still waiting for him to admit it vocally.

“Maybe I did.”

“Stop making this so difficult, Ben! This is the most terrifying thing I’ve ever done.”

He pointed his finger at her. “No, you are not the only one who’s allowed to be scared here. So you’ve never had a boyfriend. So what? You are asking me to set aside an entire life’s experiences and trust you. You’re so much like her.” He looked significantly back at the house. “She’s the person I love most in this world, but she’s also the one who’s hurt me the most. I’d be giving you so much power to break...” He snapped his mouth shut.

“I am not your mom, Ben. And honestly, after that shit-show that was dinner, I think I’m wishing you weren’t related to Leia Organa at all.”

He laughed softly. 

“And on that topic of parents,” she continued, “you’re not the only one whose parents left you with massive trust issues. I’ve never met my dad. My mom gave up on being my mom when I was a child. At least your mom is in there, being a pill perhaps, but a pill with the best intentions. She loves you.”

“I’m sorry, Rey.”

“No.” She shook her head and waved off his apology. “I don’t want to make this a contest, who’s had it worse. What I want is for us both to set aside our baggage, leave our families out of this, and focus on us, just us. Please, Ben.”

For the first time, he took her hand. “Okay,” he said softly.

She smiled at him. “I’ll start. I like you, a lot. You make me laugh. You make me feel special. I enjoy all of our time together, even when we’re arguing. I may disagree with you on a lot of things, but I can respect that you’ve thought through them.” She took the chance to intertwine their fingers. “And I have a confession.” She leaned in a little closer. “I hate working out. I’ve only gone to the gym with you to watch you.”

He laughed nervously, and stepped back a smidge, running his free hand through his hair. She smiled brightly at him, and yanked his hand. “I think it’s your turn.”

“What can I say?” He pulled her hand into his chest. “I think I’ve liked you since that first moment when you yelled at me in my hotel room door in Dallas. You pissed me off, believe me you did, but I couldn’t get you out of my head.”

Her smile was almost painful. “Do I still piss you off?”

“All the time.”

“Good,” she said. “I wouldn’t want you to get too comfortable.”

He chuckled, and shook his head. “Most of my frustration over the last few months has been dealing with my feelings, fighting against them.”

“Maybe you can stop?” Her heart was beating fast, but she had to say it. “Maybe we can be together, and be happy?”

He leaned in closer, so close she could feel his warm breath when he murmured, “Maybe we can.” 

Then his lips were on hers.

He released her hand and stroked her cheek as he gently kissed her. His other arm wrapped tightly around her waist, tugging her into him. They had never been this close before. She wanted to melt right into him, and if they kept going, she was sure it would happen.

He pulled back an inch, but didn’t release her from his hold.

It was only the single greatest moment of her life, so she had to ruin it by saying, “You kissed me.”

He raised his eyebrows. “I kind of felt like that was where we were headed.”

“You kissed me.”

His eyebrows knit. “Yep.”

“And we’re alone.”

He looked around, his eyes beginning to look panicked. “Uh, yep.”

“You kissed me because you wanted to.”

His whole face changed to understanding, and he tugged her in, tighter. “What if I told you I wanted to again?”

“I would tell you that I want you to, too.”

Her breathily whispered words were answered by his lips landing on hers again. They were firmer now, more insistent, and she followed his lead by opening her mouth and responding to his enthusiasm. She was floating, floating away.

When they pulled away to catch their breath, she circled her arms around his neck.

“I’m beginning to think,” she said, her voice shaky even as she attempted a teasing tone, “that you only agreed to that kiss cam to have an excuse to kiss me.”

He laughed and smacked her bottom, making her yelp. “I wasn’t the one who suggested it, or came up with the closet practice session.” He kissed her again, before whispering, “But you’re right. I wasn’t complaining.”

She giggled, and lifted on her toes to kiss him again, because she could. “If you were fighting feelings for me, why did you agree to the whole fake dating thing?”

“Well, the biggest reason was because I didn’t think there was much we could do about it. I may not be excited about this campaign, but I’m not looking to actively sabotage my mom’s chances.” He paused. “But there were other perks, too. Like getting to pretend. And hey, if it kept you from seeing that bland-ass Sims character from Irvine, that was just a bonus.”

She laughed, and collapsed into his chest. “You are such a jerk.” She rubbed her cheek into his chest. “I used to hate you for it. Then I liked you in spite of it. But now, I like you for it.”

He chuckled, the noise making a rumble through his chest. “Don’t pretend you’re not, Miss I-Made-All-My-Students-Cry.”

“Maybe that’s why you like me, too.”

He pulled back, holding her out with both his arms, and looked at her seriously. “No. I like you because you’re strong and smart. You don’t take any crap from anyone. You’re willing to do hard things. You’ve proved that again and again. Listen, I don’t compare just anyone to Rocky.”

She laughed. “Do go on.”

“I wanted to kiss you on those Rocky steps so bad, Rey. You’re so stunning. I’ve had to stop myself so many times.”

She beamed at the compliment, but she was done talking. “Well, you don’t have to stop yourself now.”

“No,” he agreed. “I don’t.”

He tugged her back into his arms, kissing her in a way that proved better than words how long he had had to exercise restraint. She pushed back into him, eager to show that he was not the only one who had spent time longing.

She worked her arms up and around his neck, desperate to shove her hands into his hair. He moaned when she scraped his scalp, so she did it again.

Their kissing grew more passionate. Every part of her was on fire, and yet she was also soft inside, so soft that she was grateful when he lifted her right off her feet, preventing her from melting into a puddle of goop.

Who knows what might have happened right there in the gardens when Leia’s voice made her practically jump off of Ben. Ben yanked her right back in front of him, but whether it was out of a desire to keep her close or to cover certain parts of him, she wasn’t sure.

“You guys done making out yet?” called out Leia from the doorway, spilling light onto their guilty expressions. “It’s time for dessert. The _food_ kind,” she added significantly. “Sugar is my greatest source of comfort these days.”

“You get started, Mom,” said Ben, squeezing Rey. “We’re good.”

Rey looked up at him, puzzled. “Speak for yourself,” she said. “I want dessert. The food kind.” 

Ben groaned, and Rey laughed. She took his hand, and wrapped their fingers together tightly, leading him in. “We have all the time in the world.”

 

* * *

 

The post-kissing smile on Rey’s face lasted through dessert. It lasted through the night, and into the morning. It got bigger as she, Ben (whose mood had improved significantly), and Leia ate bacon and eggs at a greasy diner. (“I’m going to fart during the debate tonight on national television,” bemoaned Leia, and they all laughed.)

Rey smiled as she got poked and prodded by Sabine, and she smiled even harder when Ben got to follow his proclamation about how beautiful she looked with a tender kiss.

She smiled through the whole debate, never letting go of the tight hold that she had on Ben’s hand. In fact, she felt like she needed to _stop_ smiling so much, since she beamed through Mon Mothma topping Leia on a number of occasions.

But she couldn’t help it.

When she checked her phone on the way back to their hotel, she laughed heartily at another string of texts from Rose.

8:15 PM<< _Okay, I’m settled in for another night of shipping you two. You’re pretty visible behind Greta van Susteren. It’s a good distraction from me wondering how many times she’s had plastic surgery_

8:17 PM<< _Would you stop SMILING at Ben??? It’s KILLING me_

8:36 PM<< _You guys are either the greatest actors in the world or you’re really in love I can’t evennnn i’m sobbing_

8:45 PM<< _I SHOULD REALLY STOP TEXTING YOU BUT THE CAMERA JUST CAUGHT HIM KISSING YOUR TEMPLE OMG OMG OMG OMG_

9:48 PM<< _HE WAS SMILING WHEN HE HUGGED LEIA. I DON’T THINK I’VE EVER SEEN HIM SMILE BEFORE TONIGHT_

9:48 PM<< _HIS SMILE IS SO DORKY OMG IT’S SO CUTE_

10:15 PM<< _it suddenly occurred to me you might not have your phone_

10:16 PM<< _what if you left it somewhere, and someone else is reading all of these :/_

10:18 PM<< _I am FREAKING out right now Rey if you get these plz respond_

Rey smiled, and showed her phone to Ben. 

“Why do you think I never smile in public?” he grumbled.

“I like your smile,” she said, and kissed him.

10:32 PM to Rose>> _I’m here. I’ve had my phone all night. I just couldn’t check it_

10:32 PM to Rose>> _Oh and I should tell you about me and Ben_

10:33 PM to Rose>> _It’s real <3_

10:33 PM<< _Whaaaattttttttttttttttttttttt_

10:34 PM to Rose>> _I promise I’ll tell you everything, but not tonight :)_

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And the slowburn ends! There are still a couple of twists and turns left on the campaign trail, but these two are safe from here out.


	18. October Part IV

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some fluff cause we've earned it

Back in LA, Ben and Rey settled into their new routine as a couple. In a lot of ways, it felt like their old relationship, enhanced in all the best ways. Thanks to that shift, Rey was spending a lot less time working at campaign headquarters, a fact that was not lost on Poe.

“Well, look who’s here!” cried Poe about a week after they had returned from Boston. “The Prodigal Daughter, gracing us with her presence.”

“Shut up,” said Rey, smiling as she settled into his office. “I’ve been busy.”

“ _Yeah_ you have.” Poe winked at her, and Rey blushed. She had confessed to Poe at the debate that she and Ben were actually seeing each other. He admitted that he didn’t get it, but had acknowledged that she was an adult entitled to her own terrible choices, and hey, the nation loved it so who was he to complain.

It wasn’t exactly the ringing endorsement she may have been hoping for, but at least he hadn’t given her too much trouble. And now, with a little time, it seemed like Poe had gotten used to the idea.

Rose, on the other hand, was bringing enthusiasm for the couple by the barrel-full. She was the nation’s foremost Rey-Ben shipper.

Her words, not Rey’s.

“I mean I’ve been busy with the _campaign_ ,” Rey corrected Poe, despite the fact that she knew her cheeks were still visibly pink. “We’ve had two fundraisers since we returned to town.”

Ben had been unusually okay with attending both events. He had been okay with a lot of things, actually. The other night, she had shoved an article about Leia’s chances in his face and he had read it. It was a shock, really.

She should have confessed her feelings ages ago.

“I saw that,” said Poe. “I had a news alert set up for you two, but I switched it off. It’s gotten out of hand. The nation is hungry for content. They’re eating up this campaign trail love story.”

“Don’t these people have more important things to do?”

“This has been a long, hard election. If people are going to be inundated with election coverage, they’d like some joy to balance out all the angry politics and endless polling. You two met because of the campaign. He, the heir to the Organa legacy, and you, an entry-level staffer. It’s like the Campaign Cin-”

“Cinderella,” Rey finished for him. “Yeah, I know. I’ve read all the same stuff you have.” She couldn’t help her bitter tone.

“You can forgive the gossip columnists for pandering to the audience a little,” said Poe. “It’s not all that different than what we do every day.”

“Yeah, that’s what Ben says, too.” She rolled her eyes. “Although I try to keep him from seeing too much coverage. It’s kind of embarrassing. I don’t want him to think I’m using him to be a political princess, or whatever.”

“I’m sure he knows that.”

Ben was a walking contradiction of arrogance and extreme insecurity, so she wasn’t so sure, but she wasn’t going to get into that now.

“Enough about us.” She clapped her hands. “What can I help with today?”

“How about you convince your boyfriend to do some canvassing in a few swing states over the next couple weeks?”

Rey laughed outright at that. “I’m thinking that’s a no. We should be grateful he did the campus tour. _He_ thinks we should be grateful he did the tour, so don’t tell him I said that.”

“I don’t know how you put up with that guy.”

“Well, I guess you’re lucky that it’s me who has to and not you.”

“You’re right about that.” He slid his laptop over to Rey. “Okay, check over this press release for me.”

 

\----

 

“You’re such a terrible influence, keeping me away from the office yet again.”

Rey watched as she and Ben drove past a turn that would have taken them to campaign headquarters. They were on their way to Ben’s childhood home for reasons that Ben was much more excited about.

Ben shot her a look through his sunglasses before returning his eyes to the road. “For the last time, being with me is your job.”

“Only if we’re doing anything campaign related. I don’t think using your mom’s pool counts.”

“You went in yesterday and you admitted that all you did was shoot the breeze with Poe. And now he’s out of town, right?”

“Yes. That’s the only reason I agreed to this.”

“No, you agreed to this because I am incredibly persuasive.”

She snorted. “In your dreams. For someone who literally makes his living trying to persuade people, you couldn’t convince a dying man in the Sahara to drink water.”

“Whose water am I trying to convince him to drink?”

“I don’t know.”

“Well I’m not sharing mine. I won’t risk my own life to help someone dumb enough to not pack enough water.”

She rolled her eyes at him. “All you’re saying is that you’re an arsehole even in hypotheticals.”

Ben shrugged before replying, “All I’m saying is that your scenario doesn’t make any sense. Why would I try to convince anyone to drink?”

“I can’t believe you wouldn’t save someone who is _dying!”_

“And I’m to assume your bleeding heart would just hand over your own life-saving water?”

“Of course.”

“I call shenanigans,” he said smugly, giving her a side-glance. “Everyone looks out for number one in the end.”

“So are you saying you wouldn’t save me?”

“Of course I would.” He grabbed her hand and kissed it. “I wouldn’t let you go without adequate water in the first place.”

“But if I somehow ran out?”

“Technically, my saving you would be a selfish act, so yes, I would.”

It was a stupid thing to make her smile.

She shook off her grin. “How did we get on this subject again?”

“You were telling me I’m not persuasive despite the fact that I wore you down enough to allow me to teach you to swim.”

She pulled her knees to her chest. “I think I said I would get in the water, not learn to swim.”

“You’ll be fine,” he said, his tone softer. “I happen to be an excellent swimmer, and we can stay in the shallow end. What could possibly happen?”

Ben usually swam laps at the complex pool, but Rey was too embarrassed to be seen learning to swim at any kind of public pool, so Ben came up with the idea of using his mom’s pool. That had been her last excuse, so here they were.

“Would you save a random drowning person?” She wasn’t going to let him off the hook too easily.

“Depends on the circumstances, I guess.”

“Like what?”

“Umm, if it’s a kid in a swimming pool, yes I’ll save them. If it’s a man in a riptide and I could easily die if I go after him, probably not.”

She could grudgingly accept that. “Here’s one. What if I were drowning at the same time as two children and you knew you could only save just me or both of them?”

“What are you, my philosophy professor?”

“Just answer the question.”

“I’d probably save you.”

She punched his arm hard across the car console. “You’d save me instead of _two_ children?”

“Ouch, geez.” He took his left hand off the steering wheel to rub his arm. “How about you learn to swim so I won’t have to make that call?”

“Glad your motive is so altruistic. Here I thought you were just trying to get me in my bikini again.”

He smirked. “Oh that is definitely reason number one.”

“You really are selfish.”

“Yep.” He put the car in park to punch a code into a keypad before driving into a long driveway. Rey gasped when the large white home came into vision.

“So this is where you grew up?”

“Yeah. My mom did, too.”

“Do I get to see your teenaged bedroom?”

“Sorry.” His grin showed that he wasn’t. “It’s a sewing room now.”

“Your mom sews?”

“She thought she’d learn.” He gave her a significant look before showing her up to the porch and ringing the doorbell. A short, older woman opened the door and immediately pulled Ben in for a hug.

“Benji! It’s been forever!”

“Hi Mrs. D’Acy,” he said, pulling back. He turned to Rey. “Mrs. D’Acy has been our housekeeper since I was in middle school. She’s a teenaged Ben survivor. Nothing fazes this woman.”

Mrs. D’Acy nodded grimly.

“This is Rey,” he continued, putting a hand on her back. “My girlfriend.”

“I know who she is, silly boy,” said Mrs. D’Acy, reaching out to shake Rey’s hand. “I’ve seen you two splashed all over the news. What brings you here today? Your mom’s in...well, actually I have no idea where she is.”

“We’re using the pool. I had Hector heat it up for us.”

“I’m glad someone’s using it,” said Mrs. D’Acy. She and Ben chatted lightly as they made their way to the back of the house. Ben politely oohed and aahed over photos of her new grandbaby.

“All right, you two lovebirds.” Mrs. D’Acy took her phone back and gestured at the back door. “Go have your fun.”

Rey followed Ben out to the glistening pool, nerves growing with each step. 

“You know, I’ve made it through almost 25 successful years of living without knowing how to swim,” she said.

“You live in LA and you’ve never been in the ocean.”

“I’ve felt the waves come over my feet and know it’s cold enough that I wouldn’t want to.”

“That’s what wetsuits are for.”

“I still can’t believe you fit into yours.” A couple days before, Rey and Ben had visited the beach, where Rey had read a book while Ben surfed. She never would have believed that he’d be able to get his enormous frame into his small-looking wetsuit, but he had, and she had been blessed for it.

“Come on.” Ben shucked his shirt and tossed it on a lounge chair. Rey barely had a chance to enjoy the view before he jumped into the water, nearly splashing her. “Water’s perfect,” he called out. 

Rey pulled off her shorts and tank top and took a cautious step onto the pool’s top stair.

“You pull me in again and we’re through,” she warned.

“Wouldn’t dream of it.” He swam up to the stairs and held out his hand. “Come on. I’ve got you.”

Heart pounding, she took his hand and descended the last few stairs. The water only came up to about her rib-level, but Ben did not let go.

“I learned to swim in this pool, too,” he said. “But I won’t make you blow bubbles and say hi to the fishies like I was asked to. According to my mom, I refused to do it because there were no fishies in the pool. Apparently I was an argumentative child.”

“I can’t even imagine.” Instead of the snarky tone she was going for, Rey’s voice came out breathy and uneven. Ben put his hands around her waist, nearly encircling her.

“I am not going to let anything happen to you, okay?” His thumbs stroked her tummy soothingly. “I was scared to learn, too. I used to hide in that pool house, right next to the pool pump.” He looked back at a little hut.

“But you were a child.”

“Yes. But I was scared because it was something I didn’t know how to do. Same as you.” He squeezed her waist. “We all have to learn sometimes. You’re not the first person I’ve taught. Everyone is scared at first.”

“Who did you teach?” Rey was suddenly jealous, picturing him coaxing another terrified, bikini-clad girl through her fear.

“Some kids at a low income YMCA. Our swim team taught there sometimes for community service. Looked good for my prep school, looked good on all of our college applications. Every kid wanted Finn to teach them of course.”

She smiled. “I can see that.”

“No one wanted me.”

Her smile grew wider. “I can also see that.”

“Are you amused enough by the idea of painfully awkward sixteen-year-old Ben trying to teach sassy eight-year-olds to swim to practice your kicking?”

“Actually, yeah.” She let Ben guide her to the wall, where she gripped the side of the pool.

“One of the biggest mistakes new swimmers make is to rely too much on their arms. Arms wear out much faster and are way less efficient, which will make you tire fast and panic. Learning to kick properly is the most important thing.”

Ben worked her through the motions and was very sweet and encouraging when she mastered even the tiniest bit of progress. He managed to find an old kickboard in their pool house and walked by her side as she made some strides through the water.

“Look at me!” she said excitedly after successfully getting from one side of the pool to the other. (Width-wise, not lengthwise, but it was still an accomplishment.)

“You’re doing great,” agreed Ben. “Maybe by spring when the swells die down a bit, you’ll be ready to go in the ocean.”

He froze as he appeared to register his words. She did, too. Spring was in The Future. The Future was a topic they very carefully avoided. Although neither of them vocalized it, she knew they were both holding their breath until Election Day, holding off a conversation they may not need to have.

If Leia won, Rey knew by now that she would offer Rey a role in her administration.

Ben’s law firm had a Washington D.C. office, but Ben made no secret of his disdain for the area and the idea of being involved at all in Leia’s presidency.

For the first time since Leia had announced her run for president nearly two years before, Rey found herself conflicted about her winning. Not really, of course. Rey still wanted her to win, like 99 percent wanted her to win, but there was still a teeny little voice that whispered that things would be much simpler for her and Ben if she lost.

It was silly. Couples needed to be able to have difficult conversations. But Election Day was so soon. Rey hated to think about anything bursting the joyous little bubble she and Ben had created. Not yet, anyway.

“You know,” Ben tacked on awkwardly, “if you’re around.”

It was an opening to talk about Things, but Rey couldn’t make herself do it. She waded up close to Ben and wrapped her arms around his neck. Made buoyant by the water, Ben easily lifted her up.

“This feels familiar,” he said, referring to their almost-kiss, weeks before.

“Yeah,” she said, tightening her legs around him. “But I can do this now.” 

He barely had time to smile before she near-attacked his lips. Maybe they still had things to talk about, but this was always perfect. He gripped her behind, pulling her closer against him. 

After a few minutes, he pulled away to mutter, “It only took fifteen years for me to live out my teenaged fantasy.”

“What, making out in a pool?”

“Making out in _this_ pool.”

“Haven’t you ever brought a girl out here before?”

“Rey.” Ben’s voice got more serious, almost stern. He pulled back until she was looking directly at him. “Me bringing you here? I don’t just do that. You having dinner with my mom? Or those things I told you about my family? I have never told anyone those things before, never.” 

“Really?” whispered Rey.

“This is not just a casual thing for me.”

Rey nodded slowly. “It’s not for me either.”

Ben kissed her again, gentler. He pulled back and nuzzled her nose. As blissful as she was feeling, she couldn’t help but shiver as a cool breeze hit the water on her exposed back.

Ben dipped them into the water. “Want to get warmer?” he asked, pulling them to the pool stairs. “We’ve got a hot tub, too.”

“Hmm,” she said, pretending to consider it hard. “And did this hot tub play a role in teenaged Ben’s fantasies as well?”

“Of course it did. You’re not going to disappoint young Ben are you?”

“No, I don’t think I will.” She beamed as Ben wrapped her in a towel and led her to a jacuzzi tub near the patio. She was in his lap almost as soon as he climbed in.

They had plenty they needed to discuss, but for now, they were fine to do no talking at all.

  
  
  


 


	19. November Part I

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey gets a couple of surprises

“Would you stop watching the news?” Ben sounded testy as he came into the living room, crossing his arms and scowling at CNN.

“We’re a week from the election,” said Rey, not moving to change the channel. “Leia’s numbers are too good.”

“And that’s a bad thing?”

“Yes.” She frowned. “I’m waiting for the other shoe to drop. It always does. Last week everyone was all over that story about Mon Mothma’s husband’s affiliation with that Cayman Islands account. People love to save revelations for close to elections. So far your mom has been safe. It can’t last.”

“I don’t know of any nefarious business transactions my mom or our foundation have been involved it, but you never know.”

“What about Lando?” Rey’s voice was near desperate. She hated bringing him up in front of Ben, but she couldn’t help it. “Are you sure he won’t spill?”

“We can’t be sure, but he’s a national hero, a four-star general. He’s such a cocky bastard. I don’t think he’s anxious to tarnish his legacy and life work.”

She didn’t respond, instead refocused her attention, zombie-like, on the screen in front of her. 

“Okay, I’m making an executive decision.” Ben reached over her and took the remote, turning off the TV. “You need a distraction.”

“You’re the one who made me stop going to headquarters,” whined Rey.

“I did not make you do anything. I merely suggested that we hunker down here until the election nonsense blows over. I’m concerned for your safety.”

A few days before, Rey had been harassed by some paparazzi outside of headquarters, and Ben had freaked out when she came home crying. Since then, she hadn’t left the apartment building alone. He hadn’t even wanted to let them open the door for trick-or-treaters the night before, but Rey had begged and he had acquiesced.

They only had three kids come by, a baby unicorn too young to have any idea what was happening, and two toddlers dressed in plastic superhero costumes, but it had been worth it. Then she had curled into Ben’s side on the couch as they watched a scary movie and finished off the candy they had bought.

“And I told you, I severely overreacted that day.”

“You did not. You’re right that we’re close to Election Day and the news circuit is getting antsy for a last-minute juicy story. I don’t want you to be part of that.”

“Right, because pictures of me, boring old Rey, walking down the sidewalk are so juicy.” She shook her head.

“Don’t underestimate the power of the 24 hour news cycle,” said Ben ominously.

“Fine. What do you suggest we do?”

“Do you have anything going on tomorrow?” he asked.

“No. Is the World Series finally over?”

Rey had hoped that Ben would stop watching the baseball playoffs after the Dodgers got eliminated, but he stubbornly carried on, determined to see if the Cubs could “finally pull it off.” They spent their evenings switching back and forth between CNN and baseball.

They each thought the other person’s choice was excruciatingly boring

Which usually resulted in far more interesting things happening on the couch.

Ben chuckled. “No, Game Six is tonight. But I highly doubt there will be a Game Seven tomorrow.”

“Good.”

“Want to spend the day out?”

“Where do you want to go? The beach?”

“No.” He looked thoughtful. “No. I have an idea. It’s a surprise.” His suddenly self-satisfied expression intrigued her.

She sat up straighter. “Do I get a hint?”

“No.”

“How will I know what to wear?”

“You can wear whatever you want.”

“That doesn’t help!”

He stepped over and kissed her on her head. “That’s kind of the point.”

She pouted all night, to Ben’s infinite amusement. The sole hint she managed to extract from him was “It’s a place you’ll like,” which only showed that he didn’t understand how hints worked. 

 

-

 

The next morning, Ben woke her up for the first time ever, eager as a kindergartner on their first day of school. When they were ready, he nodded approvingly at her outfit, and they took off to wherever they were going.

By the time they took an exit toward Anaheim, Rey was catching on.

“There’s only one reason we’d go to Anaheim,” she said.

“That’s not true.”

“It is.” She began to smile.

“We could be going to Knott’s Berry Farm.”

“We are _not_ ,” she said triumphantly. “We’re going to Disneyland.”

He looked over at her. “What if we really were going to Knott’s Berry Farm? I’d be feeling pretty hurt right now.”

She bounced in her seat as much as her seatbelt would allow. “Please tell me.”

“Fine. Yes, we’re going to Disneyland.”

“Yes!” She fist-pumped the air, and then leaned across the console to kiss him on the cheek. “You are so sweet. I can’t wait to see you wearing a cute little Mickey ears hat.”

He laughed humorlessly. “I am not doing that.”

“Not even for me?” 

“Don’t make that face. I’m taking you, aren’t I?” He scoffed. “And I think my own ears are big enough on their own.”

“I like them.”

“You’d be the first.” 

“Well, I’m going to wear ears.”

“They have all kinds. I bet we can find some with a graduation cap.” He looked at her seriously. “That’s why I wanted to do this. We haven’t done anything to celebrate.”

She battled a wave of emotion that threatened to turn into tears. They hadn’t been a couple for very long, but having Ben in her life was unlike anything she had felt for many, many years. 

He cared. He cared about what she ate, if she slept well, or if she had a headache. He went to CVS to get ibuprofen when her cramps were bad. His overprotectiveness over the media was slightly irritating, but it was also appreciated. 

He didn’t try to keep her safe because he didn’t respect her ability to protect herself. He did it because he was worried about her.

And he wanted to celebrate her graduation.

No one had really cared about her A-levels in secondary school, or when she got into UCLA.

But Ben was taking a whole day and spending who knows how much money for no other purpose than to make her feel special.

And she did. She felt cherished.

 

\--

 

“We’ve been carefully avoiding crowds for a week and now you bring me to the biggest one in LA,” she said as they made their way through the park entrance queue.

He shrugged. “Yeah, but what is anyone going to do besides post a picture?”

“You’re going to feel bad when someone tries to assassinate me.”

“Don’t even joke about that.”

Once they made it through the maingate, Rey was buzzing with excitement. She squeezed Ben’s hand tightly as they made their way down Main Street, before she made them stop for a picture with Mickey.

“This is the first line you’re going to make us wait in?” he asked in disbelief.

“Just so you know, we are going to take an obscene amount of pictures today.”

He feigned annoyance. “I suppose it’s your day.”

“Yes it is.”

He grumbled through every parent in front of them yelling at their kids to smile, but when they finally posed with Mickey, she could tell his smile was genuine.

She didn’t end up a graduation cap, but found a pair of sparkly sequin Minnie ears she loved.

She protested when he took them to the cash register, but he ignored her whining and slid the newly purchased headband on her hair, kissing her forehead as he did.

“This is your graduation gift,” he said. “You will not be paying for anything today.”

They joined a large queue waiting at the castle for the park rides to open.

“This is kind of surreal,” said Ben. “I haven’t been here since high school Grad Nite. I kind of thought that the next time I came…”

His voice trailed off.

“What?” she prompted.

“I don’t know, that I’d have kids or something,” he mumbled. She followed his eyes to a young family, where a little girl was seated on her dad’s shoulders.

Rey’s heart melted involuntarily, surprising her in a way that she didn’t care to examine too closely.

“So where to first?” he asked quickly, eager to change the subject.

“How about It’s a Small World?” she suggested, one of the few rides she knew of.

Ben scowled. “You know what? No. I was going to let you call the shots, but I just can’t. I’ve got fast passes for Space Mountain and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad for later, but we’ll start at my favorite, Pirates of the Caribbean.”

“Will we see Captain Jack Sparrow?”

His scowl deepened. “Unfortunately. It was better without.”

When the park opened, he directed them to Pirates of the Caribbean without consulting the map that Rey offered, like a park ranger with years of training.

“How many times have you been here?” she asked in amazement.

“My nanny brought me all the time growing up,” he said. “The park layout is actually really simple. Once you know it, it’s hard to forget.”

Since they had gotten there early, there wasn’t much of a line to wait for the ride. They climbed into the boat, and Ben breathed deeply.

“What?” she said.

“You smell that?”

“What?”

“The water. That smell. It’s why I always come here first. It’s like welcoming me to Disneyland.”

“It smells like chlorine.”

“Exactly.”

Grinning, she nudged him. “Look at you, you secret Disneyland stan. Who knew?”

“What’s a stan?”

“It means you’re obsessed.”

“I am not obsessed,” he said, Grumpy Ben making his appearance. “I told you I haven’t been here in twelve years. Just nostalgic, I guess. Now hush, we’re going through the bayou.”

He didn’t let go of her hand once during the ride.

 

-

 

Throughout the morning, Ben led them through the park, the Sacajawea to her Lewis and Clark, as they navigated the great frontier that is the Happiest Place on Earth.

He never took off his sunglasses, but she wasn’t sure it made a lot of difference. They were surrounded by thousands of people; there were bound to be a few who recognized them. Mostly, it happened in lines, where everyone was bored and eyes wandered. Ben and Rey could occasionally see someone staring at them discerningly, trying to place them. Sometimes they’d consult their phone and then look back up at them.

Some people were more subtle than others. And there were enough fake selfies taken around them that she knew their picture was all over social media by now.

The best part was that they didn’t need to fake their relationship anymore. And with as much as Ben tucked her in his side or kissed her hair, she knew the amateur paparazzi had plenty of material to work with.

 

\--

 

Between Ben’s strategic Fastpass planning and what he called the “sweet spot between the Halloween and Christmas seasons,” they didn’t have to wait in any terrible lines and were able to knock off a lot of Ben’s favorite rides by early afternoon.

She had loved Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, but mostly enjoyed the story Ben told about his dad carrying him crying through the line and sticking him on the coaster as tears rolled down his cheeks.

“He was merciless,” said Ben. “But it was good. I was a little wuss. I needed to be forced.”

His dad came up again when they went on Indiana Jones, which was apparently his favorite movie. She spent most of that ride, as well as Space Mountain, laughing as Ben inadvertently ducked at every turn.

“You’re not a giant,” she told him. “You’re not going to get your head cut off. I think they take tall people into account when they build these things.”

“I don’t mean to. It’s a natural response.”

She did have to admit that some of the rides were not designed with men of his frame in mind. Seeing him crumpled into a Matterhorn coaster car ranked among the highlights of her life, and she took about ten pictures before the ride operator yelled at her to sit down.

Once they disembarked, Ben stood and stretched, whining that his legs had fallen asleep. She wasn’t listening, staring longingly at the brightly colored Fantasyland that lay before them, an area that Ben had carefully avoided all day.

“It’s a Small World?” she asked sweetly.

“It’s for kids. And honestly, I didn’t even like it when I was a kid.”

“Some of us didn’t get to come here as kids.”

“How often are you going to use your childhood as a trump card?”

“I don’t know. Does it work?”

“Of course.”

“Then often.” She stood on her tiptoes to kiss him on the cheek, before leading him into the first of many rides with no height restrictions.

He endured It’s a Small World, Dumbo, Mad Tea Party, and Alice in Wonderland without too much complaint, and even begrudgingly watched the parade that marched through, but drew the line at the carousel.

“I am absolutely not going on a carousel until I have a toddler to keep from falling off a horse,” he said.

So she rode it by herself, waving at him like a child whenever she passed him, standing in a long lineup of strollers and balloons.

He looked absurdly out of place, arms crossed, grouchier than some of the kids they had seen throw tantrums throughout the day, but he smiled as she waved, and her heart warmed.

If she thought about how much he’d have to bend to push one of those strollers next to him, well that was for her and her alone.

“Have you had your kiddie ride fill yet?” he asked when she joined him, sliding her hand into his. He guided her through the opening of the castle.

“Only if we get to eat.”

“Those churros and popcorn haven’t been doing their job?”

“Those are snacks, Ben.”

They took their time eating dinner at a restaurant that Ben swore had been there since his mom was a child. When they finished, Ben suggested they give Splash Mountain another try, a ride that had had an inexplicably long line all day.

“Is it really fun?” she asked.

“Not really, but it’s a classic.”

The line had shortened considerably now that the sun was setting, and Ben folded himself into yet another small seat. 

When they got off the ride, she laughed heartily when she realized he had taken the brunt of the final wave that crashed over them.

He was far less amused.

They managed to squeeze in second rides of some of their favorite roller coasters in the purplish hue of LA twilight before they made their way to Main Street to settle in for the fireworks.

Standing under the twinkling lights of all the shops, admiring the glowing castle and warmed by the large body she got to snuggle into to her heart’s content, Rey felt like she was floating. She kissed Ben sweetly, over and over, in appreciation for their lovely day and for everything else, for the person he was and the way he made her feel.

She wouldn’t let him deepen their kisses, though.

“This is a family place,” she whispered, giggling.

They had settled on cheek kisses and nuzzled noses when she overheard a group of adults talking near them.

“Did you see the news about Leia Organa?” said one.

Slowly, she pulled her face from Ben’s, leaning in to hear better.

“Yeah, that’s crazy,” said another guy. “Do you think it will change things?”

“How could it not?”

Rey’s eyes widened in horror. She reached into her purse to pull out her phone, but Ben stilled her hand.

“It doesn’t matter right now,” he said, his eyes pleading her to resist the pull to Google.

“Something is happening.” She looked at her phone. Her breath hitched. “I have three missed calls from Poe. And a text to call him ASAP.”

He checked his phone too, and sighed heavily. “He’s called me a few times too, as well as my mom. You should probably call him back.”

She nodded gratefully, and dialed Poe.

He picked up after one ring.

“Rey! Are you okay?”

“Uh, yeah, why wouldn’t I be? What is going on?”

“You haven’t seen anything?”

“We’re at Disneyland.”

She heard Poe’s voice, muffled, as he seemed to call out to someone else what she told him.

His voice became clearer as he came back on the phone. “Rey, you need to get out of there right now. Can you come to headquarters? We have security here. I know it’s a ways from Anaheim, but it’s really important. And don’t look anything up? Do you promise?”

“Uh, sure.”

“K, hurry. Keep Ben with you, okay?”

“Okay.” 

She hung up and met Ben’s concerned gaze.

“They seem to think we’re in some kind of trouble,” she said. “But he told me not to read anything until we get there.”

Ben looked sadly back at the castle. “We better go, then. The crowds are a nightmare after the fireworks end.”

They quickly made their way through Main Street and onto the shuttle that took them back to his car.

It was a miracle that there was little traffic at that late hour, as the time they spent silently driving was practically excruciating. Ben’s grip on the steering wheel was violent. The soft music that played from some contemporary hits station did not improve his mood.

When some top 40s song started, Ben turned off the radio entirely.

Rey had made a promise to Poe not to look at her phone, but the temptation to Google Leia was painful.

Looking at Ben’s pursed lips, she knew he was worried, too. She wondered what his life had been like, always worried that something would come out that would expose his family’s secrets or derail any peace they struggled to maintain.

His family was the nation’s property. It wasn’t fair.

When they pulled up to the curb in front of headquarters, Rey practically leaped from the car, leaving Ben to find a parking spot. She knew she should stay with him, but she’d be there when he came in to face whatever crap was facing his mom. For now, she couldn’t stay in that car seat another second.

She ran in, ignoring all the astonished looks that the staffers gave her, and went straight to Poe’s office.

Inside, she found Poe, Amilyn, and Leia, all arguing.

“You are supposed to vet people,” Leia cried, shaking a finger at Poe. “You can’t run a simple background check?”

“It didn’t show up,” defended Poe.

“Excuse me,” called Rey nervously. “What’s going on?”

The three turned in her direction, eyes wide. She saw them look at her head, and she ripped off the ears she had forgotten she was wearing.

“What’s going on?” she asked again. 

Poe stepped forward first. “Rey,” he began, but him moving had exposed the TV behind him. A scrolling headline was visible, and seeing her name made her blood run cold.

_Rey Niima, Girlfriend to Ben Organa Solo, Revealed to the Daughter of British Terrorist Sheev Palpatine_

Rey’s breathing stilled while her heart sped up. She knew that everyone in the room had watched her read the headline.

“Rey,” said Poe again, taking another cautious step forward.

She automatically took a step back.

“Rey, wait.”

She couldn’t handle the faces staring at her like she was a wild animal, ready to pounce. She took another step back before she turned and bolted out the office door.

“Rey!” They all called out to her, but she didn’t listen. She felt a hundred eyes on her as all the staffers watched her book it out of the building, but she couldn’t stop. She ran onto the street, not paying attention to where she was going.

She ran down the block, until the building wasn’t in her sight and the sounds of LA traffic and her own tears were her only companions.

Finally, she sank into a random bus stop bench, yanking out her phone to break Poe’s ridiculous gag order.

 

It was her.

She was the other shoe.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DISCLAIMER: I have not seen TRoS and know nothing about Palpatine's role or any potential connection to Rey. I've had this plot point planned for a long time for reasons that will be more clear in the next chapter. I specifically put this update up a before I hit the theater tonight so that whatever happens in the film would not affect this chapter.
> 
> I adore and welcome all comments but please keep them spoiler-free!
> 
> Whatever happens in canon, it has been a pleasure shipping with all of you and I promise I will finish this story.


	20. November Part II

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you have somehow managed to avoid TRoS spoilers, I am very impressed, but you should skip this note.
> 
> Hi friends. Sorry it’s been a while. I’ve long planned the Rey-is-Palpatine’s-Daughter twist for this story, and made sure to put it up before I saw the movie. I didn’t know going in if Rey had any connection to Palpatine. I only had suspicions. I promised myself that no matter what the movie contained, I would carry on with the ending I had planned for this story. Then I saw the movie, and I hated the Rey Palpatine reveal so much that it killed any motivation I had to work on this chapter. I hated that my story had anything to do with that nonsense. I doubled my fluffy Christmas fic to avoid even thinking about this WIP. 
> 
> I considered going back and changing her father to Snoke, Tarkin, anyone (because all he needed to be was Bad) as an FU to the movie, but in the end, I’ve left her dad as Palpatine because that’s what fanfiction is for - taking what canon gives us and making it ours in whatever way we choose. I hope you will find that this part of the story will actually serve a purpose in the relationships between Rey and Ben, Rey and Leia, and most especially, Ben and Leia.
> 
> Anyway. I hope you enjoy.

Blinking through her tears, Rey could barely make out the headlines she scrolled through on her phone. Poe had asked her not to look at anything, but now that the jig was up, she’d read whatever she damn well pleased.

The news was definitely sensational. Ben was the only family Leia had, and for him to be dating a notorious terrorist’s daughter? The Internet was ablaze. 

The news had apparently dropped about four hours before, allowing the 24 hour news cycle to churn despite the fact that it was the middle of the night on the East Coast. The articles and conspiracy theories were overwhelming.

 

_Bombshell Revelation Wracks Organa Campaign_

_How will Leia Organa, Personal Victim of Terrorism, React to Stunning News?_

_Who is Sheev Palpatine, Terrorist and Father to Ben Organa Solo’s Girlfriend?_

 

*Incoming Call: Poe Dameron

She ignored the call.

 

_Remembering the 1977 Terrorist Attack that took Senator Bail Organa and His Wife_

_Is Rey Palpatine a Secret Muslim? What the Mainstream Media Won’t Tell You_

 

A bus pulled up to the stop. She climbed on, not knowing and not caring where it was going. She kept her eyes glued to her phone and her hood pulled up, sinking into the front row and not making eye contact with any of the three or four people riding the bus.

 

_Sources Connect Ben Organa Solo’s Girlfriend to Deceased Terrorist_

 

         *Incoming Call: Poe Dameron

 

_Breaking: Stunning Rey Niima Background_

_Senator Mon Mothma Responds to Shocking Organa Campaign News_

 

*Incoming Call: Unknown California Number

 

_Ben Solo and Girlfriend Spotted at Disneyland In Midst of Rumors_

_Has Rey Niima Been Communicating with Sheev Palpatine?_

 

10:32 PM from Poe<< _Please answer your phone. We’re really worried about you_

 

_Wikipedia: Sheev Palpatine_

 

            *Incoming Call: Ben Solo

_Wikipedia: 1996 British Terrorist Attacks_

 

*Incoming Call: Ben Solo

           

            *Incoming Call: Ben Solo

 

10:42 PM from Ben<< _Stop ignoring me. You need to be safe_

10:42 PM from Ben<< _Nobody is upset with you. We have to find you. You’re a sitting duck_

 

_Wikipedia: The Empire (British Political Extremist Group)_

 

10:51 PM from Rose<< _Are you okay?? I’m here if you need to talk_

 

The bus stopped for a lady in the back and Rey climbed off after her. It wasn’t the nicest neighborhood, and she sank into a bench, knowing that she should feel at home. None of this was foreign to her; she had grown up in the slums of London.

But it was the silence that unnerved her. She expected someone to jump out at her at any minute.

Her phone was dangerously low on battery.

She dialed Ben.

“Rey!” The relief in his voice was evident even through one syllable. “Are you okay? Where are you? Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.”

“Where are you?”

“I don’t know.” 

“Send me a pin?”

“I’ll try, but my phone is about to die.”

He cursed and sounded briefly like he was talking to someone else. “Look around you. What do you see?”

She described her surroundings to the best of her ability, reading off the cross streets on a stoplight ahead of her.

“You need protection, Rey. Listen -”

But whatever he was going to tell her was cut off by her traitorous, weak battery. She stared at the useless device in her hands, both upset and relieved that she couldn’t read anything else.

With her phone dead, she didn’t have a real way to measure time, but it couldn’t have been five minutes before a police car pulled up, lights flashing. She reflexively pulled her knees into her chest.

Two police officers climbed out and slowly approached her bench. She narrowed her eyes at them.

“Rey?” said one. “We’re supposed to keep you safe until the Secret Service gets here.”

She nodded slightly and followed them wordlessly into their car, sitting in the backseat like a common criminal. One of the officers radioed someone, and Rey tried to tune out all the static, beeping, and muffled noises coming through their stereo.

A black SUV pulled up to the car, and Ben jumped out. She climbed out of the stuffy patrol car and he practically yanked her into his arms. She didn’t hug back, but allowed him to squeeze her before pushing her back gently and checking her over like she had somehow gotten hurt since he last saw her. He placed his hands on her cheeks and tried to meet her eyes in the glow of the headlights, but she couldn’t make herself look up.

He let go. “Hey, you don’t have to talk about anything right now, okay? We just need to get you somewhere safe, at least until we get a handle on things.”

She nodded and followed him into the SUV, a full-sized model much larger than Ben’s crossover. The driver and passenger seats were taken up by Secret Service personnel, so she and Ben slid into the backseat.

She stared out the window as the shady city blocks began to get better lit, and fancier.

“Where are we going?” she finally asked Ben, looking at him for the first time.

He didn’t need to turn to her voice. He had probably been watching her the entire car ride.

“The campaign is putting you up in a hotel,” he said. “At least for tonight. The Secret Service had managed to clear headquarters of reporters before you got there, but the area around my building is still vulnerable.”

“I kept wondering if someone was going to jump out from the bushes and shove a microphone in my face.”

He shook his head. “You running out like that? You had us all terrified.”

“I think I can handle some reporters.”

His eyes flashed with anger. “You don’t know how they can be. You’ve barely seen the worst of it. And it’s not just reporters, Rey. Your name is associated with someone that people have an axe to grind with.” His jaw tightened. “If something had…”

“I needed to be alone.”

His shoulders dropped forward, like all the fight left him. “All right. Just a minute more, and then you will be.”

They didn’t say anything else as they pulled into the awning of the hotel, where a Secret Service agent helped her out of the car and accompanied her and Ben straight to her room, leaving them alone to patrol the hallway.

Rey sat on the edge of the bed while Ben stood a few feet away from her. Neither of them could seem to think of anything to say. Could it have only been a few hours before, that they were snuggling under the stars, whispering sweet nothings to each other?

The silence was unbearable.

Ben seemed to agree, because he rubbed the back of his neck, and then nodded at her curtly before spinning on his heel.

“Aren’t you going to ask me if I knew?”

Ben froze on his way to the door. Slowly, he turned back to her and shook his head slightly. “No.”

“Well, I didn’t,” she defended anyway.

“Hey-”

“You can tell me what they were saying about me - your mom, Poe,” she continued viciously. “I saw the way they looked at me.”

“Rey-” He took a cautious step forward. “No one is upset…”

“And you!” She held an accusing finger at him. “You’re tiptoeing around me like they did, like I’m strapped to a freaking bomb.” Her voice shook on the last word, and she swallowed hard.

“Nobody thinks that.”

She didn’t answer, not trusting her voice.

“Tell me what you want, Rey. Do you want me to stay? Go? Talk? You can tell me anything.” He paused. “But you don’t have to.”

She didn’t want him to go.

She patted the space next to her, and he was there in two steps, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. She curled into him, and finally allowed the tears that had been welling for over an hour to spill out. He tightened his hold and scooted them back until they rested against the headboard, where he pulled her fully into his arms and let her cry. At some point she distantly heard the door knock, but Ben whispered to ignore it.

Her nose dripped down her face, prompting Ben to fish her some tissues from the bathroom. She blew her nose and attempted to collect herself.

“I’m so sorry,” she said once she was capable of speech. “I’m so sorry I’ve endangered the campaign.”

“I think I’ve made it pretty clear that I don’t give a shit about the campaign,” said Ben, handing her a fresh tissue. “And even if I did, you have nothing to apologize for.”

“I didn’t mean for any of this to happen.”

“I know.” He wrapped her back up in his arms and kissed her on the head. “And I’m the one who’s sorry. Being with me was like painting a target on your back, especially now. I’ve dealt with that my whole life, but I hate that you have to be involved in any way.”

“I’ve told you that I didn’t know my dad,” said Rey. “The only thing my mum ever told me was that he wasn’t someone worth knowing. Of course, I always assumed that he was your garden-variety drunk or wife beater. When I was growing up, I used to pretend that he was someone important, that one day he or maybe a long-lost grandmother like in _Princess Diaries_ would come and whisk me away.” She laughed bitterly. “Be careful what you wish for.”

“I’m sorry.”

“How can you even talk to me? Your own grandparents were killed by terrorists.”

“Rey.” He smoothed her hair back. “You are not your father.”

“I didn’t even know who he was before tonight,” Rey babbled on. “I had to look him up on bloody Wikipedia. He wasn’t even a good terrorist. Most of his pipe bombs on the Tube failed. There were only two casualties.”

Ben laughed, a sharp sound that surprised them both. “I’m sorry,” he said, recovering quickly. “But would you rather he had killed thousands?”

She fought a small grin, her first in hours. “Well, no.”

“I’m just kidding,” he said. “But I wouldn’t say the words ‘good terrorist’ in mixed company.”

“Anyway, looks like he was with some London extremist political group called The Empire. They were the worst of the worst.” She lowered her head. “And now my name, and your family’s name, will be associated with them.”

“We don’t even know if any of this is true,” said Ben. “The campaign is already hitting back, trying to find the source. We may have a case for slander and libel.”

“I know who it was, Ben.”

“You do?”

She pulled out her phone before she remembered it was dead. She tossed it on the bed and held her hand out for Ben’s instead. She pulled up the Internet and searched for one of the articles she had seen earlier. 

“There.” She finished scrolling and handed Ben his phone back.

He squinted at his screen, before looking back at her confused. “What?”

“Rey Anna Niima,” she recited.

He glanced back down. “What about it?” he asked. “I didn’t even know you had a middle name.” 

She waved away his guilty expression. “It’s because I don’t.”

“So why?”

“There’s only one person who called me that,” said Rey. She closed her eyes and took a breath. “My mum. When I was little, she added a middle name because people kept thinking I was a boy. But she never made it official or anything. She must have forgotten that it wasn’t really my name.”

“Oh, sweetheart.” Ben tugged her back into him.

“In the end, who else would know?” she mused, again trying to control her wavering voice. “I don’t have a father listed on my birth certificate. My uncle had no idea who he was. He complained about my mom hiding his identity enough.” She huffed. “But as much as my uncle wanted my dad to step up and take me off his hands, he wouldn’t have been able to do that from prison anyway, I guess.”

Ben stroked her hair while she attempted to calm herself under his ministrations.

“Apparently, my mum is still out there somewhere, up to who knows what. She must have seen me in the news and seized the opportunity. She sold me for drinking money. It wouldn’t be the first time.”

Ben was silent, so she tried to make a joke.

“I know you’ve got your issues with Leia, but I think I win the Bad Mother Olympics.” He didn’t laugh, making her cringe inwardly. “I’m sorry you have this to deal with.”

“Hey.” Ben took her face in both of his hands, forcing her to look his way. “I don’t care who your parents are, or where you come from. You are Rey, the most amazing woman, the most amazing _person_ I know. All any of this tells me is that I should be even more impressed with you than I already am. You’ve been through so much, and yet, you’re you. Special, wonderful you. No clickbait reporting is going to change how I feel about you, and it sure as hell shouldn’t change how you feel about yourself.”

His eyes darted around, searching her face, begging her to believe him. The concern he showed made her tears spill again, and she buried her face in his chest, pulling up her legs and curling herself into a ball. She was grateful he was so big, because she ended up in his lap, and didn’t even feel close to slipping.

There, in this position, she told him about her life. For the first time, she didn’t hold anything back. She told him young Rey, who knew about recovery positions. Who knew how to lie to child welfare agents and to school officials, how to put on a brave face and a smile to preserve their little family, or how to put on a sad face to manipulate generous passers-by.

Eventually, it had been her mum who had turned herself in.

“I think it was her way out of parenting,” whispered Rey, admitting a truth she had kept close to her chest for fifteen years. “She served a few months for parental neglect, so the government sent me to my uncle’s, but then she never came for me when she got released.”

Ben didn’t release her as she cried through her memories of the cold nights in her uncle’s government-subsidized flat, in one of the worst neighborhoods in London. He didn’t beat her, but he belittled her nearly daily and stuck her with all the housework.

“I’ve never felt wanted by anyone,” she said. “I’m sorry for unloading all this on you. I wish I were still a student so I could call the campus therapist. I miss her.”

“We’ll find you someone to talk to,” promised Ben. “She may be barred from working with non-students, but we’ll find someone.”

Rey touched his cheek. “You should talk to someone, too. You’ve kept a lot of hurt and grief buried for a long time. No one needs to be that strong.”

“Maybe.”

She told him about the time when she was thirteen and contracted a terrible case of pneumonia, wandering alone in the bitterly cold streets until she collapsed into an A&E and spent almost two weeks in the hospital.

“That’s why I feel passionate about the healthcare debate,” she said. “My uncle was always between shitty jobs. He’d probably have terrible insurance, or none at all here in the States. I might have died. He never would have paid for a hospital stay like that.” She shrugged. “Or maybe I would have because I was a child, but that nice old lady who lived next to us with the pinball machine? She had cancer. She’d be bankrupt.”

She talked until she could feel her words faltering as her overwhelming fatigue took hold.

“My feet hurt,” she said sleepily, shaking them a little.

Ben chuckled. “It’s called Disneyland feet. It’s a common condition. No one is immune.”

She yawned, and he carefully leaned her against the headboard. “I think someone came by with that stuff,” he said. “I’ll go grab it.”

He stepped into the hallway, where a Secret Service agent handed him a couple bags.

“Looks like you’re covered,” said Ben, bringing the stuff to her. “You’ve got pajamas, cosmetics, hairbrush, toiletries, and more. Some staffer was thorough.”

“That was nice. Oh there’s even a phone cord.” She reached for her dead phone and plugged it in. It’d be at least fifteen minutes before the screen showed up again, and she wanted to respond to Rose.

“We really need to get you a new phone.”

“ _I_ will get one when I am able.” She settled back in next to him and touched his shoulder. “Speaking of phones, I know that yours has rung like ten times since we got here.”

“It does that sometimes.” He grabbed the remote off the nightstand. “Shall we see find the best that hotel cable has to offer us?”

“Ben.” She pried the remote from his hands. “We can’t hide from your mom forever.” 

“I want to focus on you and your needs right now.”

“That’s sweet, and I appreciate that. But your mom knows we’re together.” She pointed towards the hallway. “What’s your plan? To stay hunkered down here forever, using your mom’s security personnel?”

He reached for the remote. “That doesn’t sound too bad.”

“The election is in less than a week. I have to face the music. And Ben -” she took a calming breath - “I’m terrified, but I have to know what she’s thinking.”

He sighed heavily and let his head crash against the headboard. “Fine.” He pulled out his phone and stared at it. “Wow, that’s a lot of missed calls.” He started to dial back, but then paused and looked at Rey. “You know, nothing she says will change anything, okay? About us I mean.”

“Please, Ben.”

“All right, but give me a minute, okay?” He dialed and then stepped into the bathroom. Once she heard his muffled voice, she was torn between wanting to eavesdrop and wanting to turn on the TV loud enough to tune anything out.

Her phone glowed with the Apple logo, so she rolled over to use it without detaching it from the nightstand outlet. 

12:25 AM to Rose>> _Hey I’m okay. Not sure what’s going to happen but I appreciate your concern. I’ll talk more when I’m able_

Ben came back in, holding out his phone. 

“She wants to talk to you,” he said. Lowering his voice, he added, “You don’t have to talk to her. But I think it’s okay.”

Without speaking, she took the phone from him. He stuck his hands in his pockets and sank into the desk chair, but his eyes never left her face.

“H-hello?”

“Hello, Rey. This is Leia.”

“Yeah, hi.”

“I am so relieved that we found you safe. You gave us a bit of a fright.”

“I’m sorry.” It was the only response Rey could think of.

Ben’s eyes narrowed, but she ignored him.

“No, dear, don’t be sorry. It’s me who should be sorry. I’m very sorry for anything you may have heard me say at headquarters. It’s a rotten excuse but I don’t think I’ve slept for about a month. I sort of snapped. I did not mean to blame you for any of this. Listen-”

“I promise I didn’t know anything,” blurted out Rey. “I never knew who my dad was, not a thing, until tonight. I didn’t even know who Palpatine was.”

“Rey-”

“I swear I don’t believe any of the rubbish he believed. I’m not involved in anything shady, I promise. I am so, so sorry about all this.”

“Rey-”

“I am absolutely mortified. What if I’m the reason you lose?”

It was a fear that had gripped Rey all night. She was nothing more than a burden to Leia, a burden to the campaign. _Burden, burden._  

It was all she’d ever been.

“Rey, listen to me.” Leia’s voice took a more authoritative edge, cutting off Rey’s self-pitying monologue. “Ben told me all of this, and I know he sees the best in you. And that is just as it should be. But I am asking you to tell me, woman to woman, if I defend you to the public, is there anything, anything at all, that could come out and refute the things I say? I’d ask you this in person, but a certain concerned little boyfriend wanted me to give you some space tonight.”

She spared a moment to give Ben a small smile before answering Leia’s question.

“I promise you, I had never heard the name Sheev Palpatine before tonight, or the Empire. I was only four during the attacks. I’m nobody. I’ve only ever been nobody.”

“You’re aware that people will keep digging into this? Into you?”

She sat up straight in bed, even though Leia couldn’t see her. “I have nothing to hide.”

“Okay.”

“Okay?” That couldn’t just be it.

“If I had my way, we would just let this die away and not give one moment to whoever did this, but I’m afraid that I can’t let this go unaddressed, especially with the election just days away. I am going to hold a press conference tomorrow. And Rey? I want to give you the opportunity to speak.”

“Me?” She met Ben’s eyes anxiously, who nearly jumped out of his seat, driven crazy by his half-knowledge of their conversation.

“Only if you want to. I will be speaking to the press regardless, telling our side of the story, calling out the vicious attacks on my family, reminding the public to focus on the important issues facing the nation. But your story is not mine to tell. That doesn’t mean I want you to feel any pressure-”

“I want to do it.” Rey’s voice came out before her brain even had a chance to process Leia’s words. 

“You’re sure?”

“Yes.” Rey’s mind caught up but the answer was the same. “No one else controls my story. Not the media, not the public, not this campaign, not my parents, not you, not Ben. Me. I control Rey.”

She’d shoot for a more elegant speech tomorrow.

“I’m glad to hear it.” Leia sounded genuinely pleased. “You get some rest, okay? We’re way behind the East Coast so it’ll need to be a morning press conference. Please don’t leave the hotel until then. Sabine and I will come to you in the morning. We’ll talk more then.”

“Okay.”

“Good night, Rey.”

“Good night.”

“Oh, and Rey? You’re not nobody. Not to me. And definitely not to Ben.”

Rey didn’t dare speak. The line went dead, leaving her to sit in silence for a few beats before looking up at Ben.

“I’m speaking at your mom’s press conference tomorrow,” she said.

“You’re sure about that?”

“Yes.” She groaned. “I don’t even have my laptop to write.”

“What you need to do is sleep,” said Ben, handing her the shopping bags.

“Okay, _Dad,_ ” she quipped, making Ben wince. “Oof, that’s a bad joke for us, huh?”

Ben chuckled. “Maybe a bit.”

Once she was in her new comfy pajamas, she slid into the silky sheets. She was centimeters from sleep when Ben leaned over to rub her head and whisper good-bye. She nuzzled into his hand.

“Where are you going?” she whispered, her eyes closed.

“I’ll just get a room here.”

“Stay?”

His hand stilled against her hair.

They had never stayed together overnight. Sure, they got up to plenty during the day, but when it came time to sleep, Rey always returned to Ben’s office. Their relationship was so new, so fresh, and Rey was terrified of ruining it. They lived together by happenstance, and Rey swore that if they pretended that they were neighbors, it would make their strange circumstances seem more normal. She tried to convince Ben that she slept away from him _because_ she liked him so much.

Ben had never been in a serious relationship, and Rey had never been in a relationship at all. So much could go wrong. She knew Ben hated their sleeping arrangement, but he respected her boundaries and kissed her gently every night before sending her to the lumpy futon that she endured despite knowing full well how soft and warm Ben’s bed, and Ben himself, were.

And tonight, she needed that warmth.

 “Please?” she added.

She heard him pull off his jacket and pants and climb in behind her. He pulled her up against him, and smoothed her hair away from her neck, kissing her beneath her ear.

“Good night, sweetheart.”

“Good night.” A peaceful silence fell between them, and she wondered why she had ever denied herself this. Before she drifted to sleep, she whispered into the dark. “Ben?”

He hummed groggily.

“I’m sorry we missed the fireworks.”

He leaned over to kiss her again. “We’ll just have to go back.”

He settled back and scooted a bit so they could both sleep comfortably, but kept a soft hand on her back. Safely in the dark, Rey allowed herself to truly smile for the first time in hours.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had to split this chapter. The second half is mostly written and I will get it up as soon as I'm able to edit. I'm a one-woman show.
> 
> Thanks for reading!


	21. November Part III

Whatever fantasies Rey had of waking up next to Ben, cuddling, exchanging sleepy kisses, and asking what the other dreamed of, were dashed by her phone waking her up what felt like only minutes after she had fallen asleep.

Ben grumbled and rolled farther away from her. She realized that they had separated in their sleep. Apparently, all romance novels and movies had lied to her. She didn’t have a lot of time to mull over the fact that she had somehow not woken up in his embrace, as she had to shake herself out of sleep in time to answer her call.

“Hello?”

“Good morning, Rey,” came Leia’s voice, far too chipper for the early hour, especially since Rey knew how late she had gone to sleep.

_Actually,_ Rey thought guiltily, _it’s very likely she didn’t sleep at all._

“Good morning.” She was embarrassed by her croaky voice. She couldn’t even pretend the call hadn’t woken her up.

“Sabine and I are going to be there in an hour, okay? We have lots to talk about. She told me to tell you to have wet hair. See you soon, dear.”

Leia wasn’t long-winded on the phone.

Rey flopped back on her pillow. “They’re coming in an hour.”

“Mmm,” came Ben’s thoughtful response. He rolled to her and started kissing her arm.

She yanked it away. “Did you not just hear what I said?”

“You said we have an hour.”

“Yes, I have one hour to shower and write a whole speech.” She grabbed the remote and found CNN on TV.

“You sure you want to watch that?” said Ben, sitting up.

She hushed him and focused on the screen, where a roundtable of political analysts was discussing the upcoming press conference.

“Don’t be surprised if we see Organa distance herself from Ms. Niima,” said one. “It’s too close to the election for her to risk anything else.”

“I disagree,” said another. “Distancing herself is useless at this point. She needs to be explicit and tell us what they knew, and how Ms. Niima is connected to all this.”

“Yes, you’re right that the public wants to know the details,” the first responded. “But my point still stands. Organa is a victim of terrorism. She lost her own parents to political extremists. She should come out and strongly condemn anyone involved in anything related.”

“But we don’t have any evidence that Ms. Niima is involved in anything illicit,” said a third. “There’s nothing on any of her social media pages to suggest such a thing. She has no criminal record. She hasn’t even been to England in over four years.”

“How do they know that?” Rey whispered.

“They have their ways,” said Ben darkly.

They both looked back to the TV as Ben’s name got mentioned.

“Look,” said one of the analysts, “we’re told that Ben Solo is not known to hang on to girlfriends for very long. The question is, how far is Organa willing to stick her head out for her son’s side piece of the month?”

Ben turned off the TV. “There is nothing I hate more on Earth than pundits,” he muttered.

“They don’t know how honored they should be to hold such a rank,” said Rey. “You hate a lot of things.”

“You know that’s not how I feel about you.”

“What, that you hate me?”

“No, what she said.” He waved at the TV. 

She put her hand on his thigh. “I know. Those analysts have to spout a ton of rubbish.”

“Say that again.”

“What?”

“That politics is rubbish.” He imitated her accent.

“No!” She squealed as he tackled her.

He held her down and nibbled on her ear. “But that’s the hottest thing I’ve ever heard you say.”

She giggled and shoved him off playfully. “You’re mad. That’s not even what I said.” Her smile fell and she pulled her knees in. “I’m giving them plenty to talk about, huh?”

“Hey.” Ben sat in front of her and took her hands. “I don’t know how today will go. But we could run. I could sell my condo and we could take the money and the rest of my inheritance and go live on some island. I could work in a banana stand.”

The look on his face was heartbreakingly sincere, but Rey burst out laughing. “I’m sorry, but you would not last five minutes in any kind of customer service.”

Ben’s lips twitched. “Fine, but I could at least help people hide money in off-shore shell companies. Think about it. I could work the mornings in my own office, wear Hawaiian shirts all day, and come home early for a little beachside loving with my island girl.”

He leaned in and kissed her neck.

“Would you change your name?” she asked.

“Hmm.” His voice vibrated against her skin. “What would you suggest?”

“Kylo Ren?”

He huffed a laugh and pulled back to look at her. “I can’t use that. It’s too well-known.”

“Well-known? You have like, fifty followers.”

“I am prolific in the gaming community.”

“You are _not_.” She rolled her eyes at him. “But I think I need to remind your privileged arse that I’m barely allowed to live in this country. I can’t just border hop.”

“Ah, the Caribbean Offices of Kylo Ren, Esquire could get you some papers.”

“Oh, is that so?”

He grinned. “I accept cash only. No paper trail.” 

“You won’t get your girlfriend illegal papers for free?” 

He gave her a smug wink before his face turned serious. “You know I mean it, right?” He tucked a hair that had fallen from her ponytail behind her ear. “You’re not alone. I’ll do whatever it takes to keep you safe.”

She rested her forehead on his, slid her hand into his hair, and nuzzled his nose. “Thank you.”

Her phone buzzing against the nightstand made them both jump.

“Crap!” she said, looking at the time. “I’m going to shower.” She pointed at him. “And don’t follow me.”

 

-

 

Before Leia and Sabine were due to arrive, Ben left to go home and change. His building’s security guard had assured him that they were keeping reporters away, and he promised Rey that he would drive straight into the garage and not talk to anyone.

He lingered by the door, giving her kiss after kiss, making her think that he was as reluctant to lose their little bubble as she was.

“You’re sure you don’t want me to stay?” he asked for the fiftieth time. 

“What, and wear your day old jeans on national television? Just go home.”

“If you get in any trouble-”

“Joe is right there.”

Neither of them could remember the name of the Secret Service agent parked outside her door, but Ben swore they were always named Joe.

“If my mom gives you any problems-”

“Ben. You don’t need to protect me from your mother.”

He put both of his hands on her cheeks. “I’m serious, Rey. Any issues. If you feel at all uncomfortable, call me. You don’t need to put up with anything. You promise?”

He waited until he accepted that her nod was genuine.

“Good.” He kissed her on her head. “I’ll see you at the press conference, okay?”

“Okay. Now go and make sure your car doesn’t have any dings.”

He looked offended. “Being here with you was way more important than my car.”

She pulled back and lifted a skeptical eyebrow. “What if the staffer who brought it was a teenager? What if they barely got their license? Jumped a few curbs? Scraped a pole in the parking garage?”

“If there is one scratch, I will burn this building to the ground,” he said through his teeth that had clenched while she goaded him.

“So that’s still a ‘no’ on teaching me to drive in your car?” 

Ben gave her a dark look.

Rey stood on her toes, kissed him on the cheek, and pushed him out the door.

 

-

 

Rey was writing notes on the hotel notepad when her phone rang with an unknown LA number. Being on high alert, she let it go to voicemail.

A few minutes later, she got a text from the same number.

8:16 AM>> _Hi Rey. This is Jyn Erso. I’ve seen the news and wanted to check in. Please feel free to call me back whenever. This is my personal cell number. I will make time._

Rey dialed the number back immediately. After a couple rings, the familiar English voice came through.

“Hello, Rey,” said Rey’s on-campus therapist.

“Hi, Jyn.”

“I’m glad you called. I saw the news last night so I came in first thing this morning to look up your number.”

“Thank you. I wasn’t sure if I could talk to you now that I’m not a student.”

“That’s all right.” Jyn seemed to hesitate. “Can I confess something?”

“Yeah?” 

“You came to me much longer than any student is supposed to. Our free counseling is short-term, and then we’re obligated to refer to outside services. I had to pull some strings to allow you to keep coming.”

“Oh, I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry,” Jyn said briskly. “The nature of your scholarship helped my cause. It was clear that you were a student in great need. And I really wanted you to succeed.”

Rey’s throat thickened. Somehow, in the past twelve hours, her tears had maintained their position right at the surface.

It made her nervous to go on TV.

“Thank you,” she whispered.

“Tell me what’s going through your mind,” said Jyn, getting to the point. Rey could picture her piercing green eyes staring right through her. 

“It’s a lot to take in,” said Rey. “To find out who my dad is at the same time as the rest of the world. And to deal with what he was.”

“Yes, I’d imagine.”

“And now the whole nation thinks the worst of me.”

“Let’s set aside the perception of others right now. How does it make you feel about yourself?”

Rey heard a knock on her door. 

“Hang on, Jyn.” She let Leia and Sabine in, pointed at her phone, mouthed “my therapist,” and shut herself in the bathroom, sitting on the edge of the toilet seat.

“I don’t know.” Rey answered Jyn’s question truthfully. “I’ve always known my dad was...not good. Now I just know specifically how he was not good. I don’t think it changes much from my perspective. Hey Jyn?” She took a breath, willing the tears to stay back. “I think it was my mum who turned me in.” She explained about the name.

“You’ve long wondered what happened to her. Do you think you’ll seek her out?”

“No,” she said, definitively answering a question that she had been asking herself all night. “I’d worry about her derailing the life that I’ve worked hard to build for myself. And I don’t want her near Ben’s family.”

“Tell me about Ben.”

This was easy territory. Rey smiled as she explained about her relationship, and what it meant to her.

“I have to say,” said Jyn, “that I was surprised when I first saw you in the news, dating Organa’s son. You seemed pretty dead set against dating while at school.”

“I didn’t plan for it to happen. It kind of just did.”

“That you gave it a chance is a big step. Is he with you now? How is he responding to all of this?”

“He just stepped out, but he’s been very supportive.” She lowered her voice, looking at the bathroom door nervously. “We slept together last night.”

There was a pause. “Was that your first time?”

“No.” Rey waved her hand. “No, no, I mean we slept together. Like, slept. In my bed. All night.”

“...okay.”

“You must think I’m crazy,” said Rey anxiously. “But it meant a lot to me. More than, you know, other stuff we’ve done. Or I should say, it felt like a bigger step.” 

“Was this your first time spending the night with someone?”

“When we’re talking about the literal night...yeah. I’m weird, huh?”

“Rey, you’ve dealt with a lot of trauma, at the hands of the people who are closest to you. It is not unusual for that to result in some unconventional concepts of intimacy. To you, allowing someone to be that close when you’re at your most vulnerable is of great importance, and that’s okay. That’s understandable.”

Rey nodded at the glass shower door as though it was Jyn. “It was good, though. I felt-” She thought for a moment. “Safe.”

“That’s good.” Jyn sounded pleased. “New relationships are hard enough to navigate without being in the news. I saw that Leia Organa is holding a press conference today.”

“Yes. I’m speaking, too.”

“You are?”

“Yes.” Rey nervously nibbled her pinky fingernail on her free hand. “It’s a chance to share my story, set the record straight. But I’m having a hard time deciding what to say.”

“Well,” said Jyn, “I don’t need to tell you that most Americans aren’t going to watch your whole address. Most people are only going to scroll a headline, or see a tiny soundbyte on the news. Think - what is the one thing you want people to know about you? If you and Ben are as serious as you seem to be, there is a real chance that you could be in the public eye for a long time.”

Rey thought about her advice while Jyn waited patiently.

“I think I know what I have to do,” she said finally.

“Good,” said Jyn. “I’ll be watching. And Rey? You’re doing awesome. I’m really proud of you. You’ve come a long way.”

“Thank you, Jyn. And thank you for calling.”

“You are welcome.”

She hung up and left the bathroom to find Sabine and Leia already setting up a makeshift beauty salon-slash-office. Leia had turned the news back on.

“Oh, good,” said Rey. “I was watching earlier but Ben made me turn it off.”

“That doesn’t surprise me,” said Leia. “And I don’t blame him, really. 99% of what they say on here is drivel, but it’s what the American public gets, so we have to stay up on it.”

They quieted as the reporters discussed the newest breakthrough in the Rey Palpatine narrative. BBC News had located Sheev Palpatine’s son, a factory worker from Birmingham. They showed a clip of them interviewing him on the street.

When asked about Rey, the man responded in a thick Brummie accent, “I have never heard of a sister. I’ve never heard of me dad having a bloody daughter. Now bugger off.”

“My secret family members are just as charming as my known ones,” said Rey, embarrassed.

“Hey,” said Leia, wrapping an arm around Rey, “none of this is important to who you are. And that’s good. You’ve got nothing to hide, and journalists may do a terrible job most of the time, but maybe they’ll help us out this time.” She gestured at the TV, where the reporters discussed a report out of the prison that had housed Sheev Palpatine until his death. Apparently none of the guards or prisoners they reached out to had ever heard of Rey.

“The voting public is still going to want to hear it from the horse’s mouth, though,” continued Leia. “So let’s get to work.”

 

\--

 

Once they arrived at the press conference, the Secret Service helped them enter discreetly through the back. Rey had no idea how many reporters had shown up, but based on the mayhem of news vans she had seen on the street, it was a lot.

Over the course of the campaign, Rey had gotten more used to dealing with crowds and attention, but even she had to admire the way Leia stepped into the building like her speech to the entire world was nothing more than getting a manicure at the salon.

Leia was born for this type of thing.

Rey hoped she hadn’t sabotaged Leia’s chances at being president.

Some building staffers helped settle Rey and Leia and their security into a makeshift waiting room. Nervously, Rey shuffled through her notes, glancing at the clock as it crept closer to when they’d take the stage. 

Ben still hadn’t shown up.

She didn’t need him there. She didn’t need him, and it mattered very little whether he was standing behind her or not. Let the American audience assume he was waiting in the wings.

But she wanted him.

And she decided that was okay.

Jyn would be proud.

As if summoned by her thoughts, Ben burst in, looking both put-together in his suit and styled hair, and also disheveled as he searched the room for her. When he spotted her, he waved for her to follow him back out of the room.

Confused, she took his outstretched hand and allowed herself (and an agent) to be guided down the hall to a hidden corridor.

“What’s going on?” 

“I thought you could use some additional support,” he said, before opening the door to reveal both Rose and Finn.

Stunned, she allowed herself to be hugged by both.

“How did you - ?” she asked Ben.

“Called them this morning.” He shrugged.

“How did you get Rose’s number?” She grinned at her short friend, looking adorable in her suit and glasses.

“From when you used my phone to text him from headquarters last week ‘cause yours wouldn’t turn on,” said Rose. “You really need a new phone.”

Ben pointed at Rose and made a face like, _see_?

“My crappy phone obviously has its advantages.”

“Do you feel ready?” asked Finn.

“What if your next court appearance was in front of the whole world?” asked Rey.

“Touché,” said Finn affably.

“Well, we’re rooting for you,” said Rose. “We’ll be seated back with the reporters. So you can spot a couple friendly faces out there. We’d be back waiting with you, but this was all the security clearance we could get. Some Secret Service agent has already gotten to second base with me. Most action I’ve gotten in a while.”

If Rey wasn’t totally mistaken, Rose’s eyes darted towards Finn as she said that. 

Rey laughed. “Well, I’m happy you guys are here.” She gave them more hugs and then hurried back to Leia. Poe and Amilyn had arrived, too, both of whom showered Rey with apologies for the night before.

She waved them off and pulled Ben to the side, whose face had turned murderous.

“Thank you for bringing Rose and Finn here,” she said, squeezing his hand. His face softened somewhat. “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?”

“What?”

“Them!”

Ben shook his head. “I will not be one of those people who gets into a relationship and then tries to set everyone else up.”

“Finn already said he was okay with it!” Ben’s words suddenly registered. “Wait, did people try to set you up?”

He huffed grumpily. “You try being thirty and single.”

“I hope not,” she blurted out, and her cheeks burned red. She was saved from either of them unpacking her response by someone coming into the room and announcing that everything was in place for them.

“Rey, are you ready?” asked Leia.

“Ready as I’ll ever be.” 

 

-

 

The press room was silent as Leia took the microphone. She, Ben, Poe, and Amilyn took their spots behind Leia, and Ben found her hand. 

“Good morning,” said Leia. “I’d like to say a few words and then I will answer questions. We are only a few days out from what may be the most important election in our lifetimes. Voting is already underway. It is fair that the American people would like the truth, delivered swiftly, and delivered accurately.

“There has been concern raised about my son Ben’s romantic relationship with Ms. Rey Niima, a campaign staffer of mine. A report has circulating alleging  that Ms. Niima is the biological daughter of Sheev Palpatine, a British domestic terrorist, who was incarcerated for bombing the London underground. He was a key figure in the rise of The Empire, an extremist political group that I of course vehemently oppose.

“We have no evidence of where this report came from. Senator Mothma has personally called me to inform me that she had nothing to do with this and will be looking into her own campaign, a gesture I appreciate from an old friend. But make no mistake that we will be launching our own investigation into the origins of such a vicious attack against my family.”

Ben squeezed Rey’s hand. She needed to come clean to Leia about her mother. Somehow, she knew that Leia would lay off the investigation if she asked.

“Until last night, Ms. Niima didn’t know who her father was. Any more details of her upbringing are Ms. Niima’s business and I will allow her to address them in any way she is comfortable. But my message today is that to reject her on the basis of a family she didn’t know existed would be to reject me.

“It is not a secret that Bail and Breha Organa were not my biological parents. However, I have never addressed my adoptive status in any public setting, because it is frankly irrelevant to who I am, where I come from, or what I plan to do. I do no’t know who my birth parents are because I have never chosen to seek them out, a choice that was taken away from Ms. Niima.

“With so much DNA technology, the time may come that someone figures out who my biological parents are. I have to be prepared for whatever I may discover. For instance, they could be Republicans.”

She must have smiled, because the crowd chuckled.

“In seriousness, they could be anyone. They could be the very people who bombed Alderaan Arena, killing my parents when I was just nineteen years old. I have seen some people suggest that I should disassociate from Ms. Niima because I have been personally victimized by terrorism. To do so would dishonor the legacies of my parents and everything my father fought for as a US senator. He believed in hope for all humanity and was a champion of those fighting for a better life. He would have been very impressed with Ms. Niima and happy for his grandson, as I am.

“We do not know for certain whether Ms. Niima is actually the daughter of the late Sheev Palpatine, but I will not be expending any campaign or government funds on investigating what essentially equates to an episode of Maury. Whoever fathered Ms. Niima is not relevant to the person she is now. If she decides to pursue the validity of these claims, that is her business, and hers alone.

“Rey Niima is a bright, talented, passionate young lady. I am proud to have her working for my campaign, and I am equally pleased to have her in my family. She would like the opportunity to speak, and I hope that it will put an end to this matter, a story that is nothing more than tabloid fodder, and a distraction from the real, important matters facing our nation.”

Leia deftly turned her remarks into a political campaign speech. Then she answered only three questions, cutting off the reporters by promising that Rey would answer more.

Then it was Rey’s turn.

She had found Rose and Finn in the sea of faces while Leia had spoken, and she looked at them now. They both gave her encouraging smiles, and Rey steadied her breathing.

“Good morning,” said Rey, adjusting to the sound of her voice through the mic. She lifted it higher to compensate for the height difference. “Thank you for being here and thank you to Governor Organa for allowing me this opportunity to speak on my own behalf. Since my background has become an object of national interest despite so many more important issues impacting voters, I will do my best to address any concerns so that we may all collectively move forward. 

“My name is Rey Niima. It is the only name I have ever known. I was born in London to a struggling, single mother with a dependence on substances. We were hungry and cold until the day that she was incarcerated and I moved in with her relative, where my circumstances were similar. I endured the many cold nights and endless empty belly with the goal that if I could, I’d go somewhere and try to create a better world for those as unlucky as myself and my neighbors.

“I found out who my biological father was with the rest of the world. Investigative journalists have already begun to find evidence that corroborates my ignorance, and I imagine that they will continue to. I first heard the name of Sheev Palpatine last night, and after reading about him, I can conclude that the only thing I have in common with him is an extreme interest in politics.” She smiled, and a few reporters laughed.

“Our ideologies couldn’t be more different, though. I don’t know what drove him to commit such atrocities in the name of creating a better society, but I do know what it’s like to feel hopeless. There were so many times growing up that I was sure that I would live my entire life in a broken, leaking flat in the slums of London. I devoted everything I had to my studies, determined to give my future my best shot. And I swore, if I ever got the chance, I would dedicate my career to improving the lives of the downtrodden, to fight the vicious cycle of poverty.

“I am every immigrant who came for a better life in this country. I am blessed that I’ve had the opportunity to graduate from a stellar university and begin a career in politics, working for the campaign of my dreams. There are so many who are far less fortunate than I, and I say to them, I see you. I know you. That includes those who were born in this country and still struggle to find the justice and freedom that the Founding Fathers aspired to. I see you, too.

“I refuse to be defined by the characteristics and missteps of my family members. I am just Rey, someone who has worked and fought to stand before you today. I am everyone who has ever had a dream. I have not forgotten where I came from, and I will not forget those who still live there. Thank you.”

When it was clear that her prepared remarks were over, the room of reporters practically tripped over each other to ask her questions. She had been very nervous for this part, but it was surprisingly easy. There were a couple straightforward questions about her background, and a few more about her role in the campaign. 

Feeling surprisingly good, Rey pointed to another reporter.

“I have a report from a Dallas attorney that she was there when you met Ben Solo. She says you and Mr. Solo fought and you physically threatened her.” The reporter pursed her lips in a self-satisfied manner, proud of her “gotcha” moment.

Rey tried to mask her discomfort with a knowing smile.

“It is true that Ben and I did not get off on the right foot. We were all under pressure at the Democratic National Convention and yes, we argued. Obviously, our feelings changed over time.” She smiled bigger, like this was nothing more than a funny memory to her. “As for the attorney in question, I did not physically threaten her. I believe I threatened her cell phone, in jest of course. But I guess to a lot of us a phone is as good as a limb.”

The crowd murmured in appreciation, and Rey gestured to another reporter.

“Ms. Niima, you recently applied for a visa extension in conjunction with your college graduation.”

Rey nodded, like it was normal for random people to know such things about her.

The reporter continued. “Did the Organa family play a role in this process?”

“Listen,” said Rey, losing a bit of patience. “My visa expiring was a stressor that I carried with me for months, much like many other immigrants living in this country. I obtained my extension through entirely legal means, with no help from the Organa family, other than Ben guiding me to an attorney. I don’t know what I’ll be doing when my current visa expires, but I know that I act through the bounds of the law. My hope is that I can eventually become a US citizen so that I can vote for the leaders of the country that I call home.

“As for any speculation that I am involved with Ben Solo as some means to get a green card or easy citizenship, that is patently false. My story is simple. Many months ago, I joined the Organa Campaign as an unpaid college intern because I strongly believe that Leia Organa should be president of the United States. Through working for the campaign, I met and befriended Ben Solo. I am in a relationship with him because I fell in love.” She shrugged. “There is no conspiracy here.

“I love this country. On Tuesday, I hope that every citizen takes advantage of their opportunity to vote, no matter who they choose. Please vote. Vote for a better world for all the little Reys out there, out of luck and running out of hope. I would if I could.”

Leia had assured her earlier that she could cut off questioning whenever she wanted. Rey nodded at all the reporters still raising their hands and stepped resolutely off the stage.

Once they were out of the room, Leia gave Rey a hug. “Thank you, Leia,” Rey whispered.

Leia rubbed Rey’s back. “We don’t have to talk about it anymore,” she said. “I promise.”

When Leia released her, Ben pulled her in. She allowed herself to disappear into his arms and chest. Now that she was off-camera, she could afford to be vulnerable.

“You were amazing,” said Ben. “You are a true natural.”

She knew he meant his words sincerely, but she noted a tiny note of sadness in his voice. 

For security reasons, it would be easier to leave after the reporters had cleared out, so someone brought lunch for everyone. She got a text from Rose explaining that they weren’t able to get back to see her, but that she and Finn were proud and would talk to her soon.

Rey gleefully showed Ben the next text where Rose said that she and Finn were getting lunch together before they went back to work, and Ben rolled his eyes.

After they had all eaten and cleaned up, Ben left to use the restroom. Rey sidled up to Poe in a secluded corner, burning with questions.

“So what happened last night after I left?” she asked. “I ran out, and after a while, Ben came for me with the Secret Service. What happened in between?”

Poe scratched his neck. “You missed quite the scene.”

“What happened?”

“Ben came in not long after you left,” said Poe. “It didn’t take him long to figure out what was going on, and he demanded to know what had happened to you.” Poe winced. “He realized that we had, well, scared you off, and your boy went postal. Like, I thought he was going to throw a chair, he was that mad.”

“He didn’t, did he?”

“No.” Poe shook his head. “Most of his anger was directed at his mom, anyway. Those two-” Poe’s eyes darted around in case they were nearby - “Those two have some issues.”

“Yeah, there’s a lot of stuff there,” said Rey. “What did he say?”

Poe furrowed his brows, remembering. “He just got on some rant about how it was all her fault that anyone would look into you, that you had never met any dad, that you were in danger and so help her if anything happened to you, that she never should have run for president, this whole thing.”

“That was probably awkward for you and Amilyn,” said Rey, cringing.

“It sure was. We managed to get him calm by assuring him we’d get you protection. We still didn’t know what you knew, but no one wanted to see you hurt.” Poe said the last line with an apologetic tone.

“It’s whatever,” said Rey, but she appreciated the apology nonetheless. “You guys didn’t know.”

“Anyway, once he was calm and we were trying to get ahold of you, he convinced us that you were innocent, which _of course_ I suspected.” Poe held out his hands defensively. “He was cryptic, though. He kept looking at his mom and saying, ‘Everyone’s got something,’ like, all significantly. Those two-”

“They’re a lot, I know,” Rey cut him off.

“Then you called, and Ben nearly jumped out of his skin to get to you. Before he left, he looked right at his mom. I remember what he said. He said, ‘I love her. Don’t you dare hurt her the way you’ve hurt me.’”

Rey gasped. “He said what?”

“Yeah, I know. I’m sorry you’ve joined the most dysfunctional family in America.”

“No, I mean…” Her voice lowered to a whisper. “He said he loves me?”

“Yeah.” Poe’s face fell as realization hit. “Wait, has he not told you?” She shook her head. “Well, shit.” Both were silent, until Poe burst back in with, “Wait, no, no. You said love. You said you love him in your speech. So I figured you guys were past that.”

“What? No I didn’t.” She thought desperately through the speech she had gone over and over all morning.

“Yes, you did. When you answered the last question. You said you fell in love with Ben.”

“Oh, my gosh.” Her jaw dropped. “Do you think he heard?”

Poe chuckled. “Well, he was standing three feet behind you and you were mic’d, so I’m gonna say yes.”

“Poe, this is a disaster,” she hissed. “It’s way too early, right? We’ve only been official for a couple weeks.”

“You guys were together everyday before that, though.”

“That’s true.” Her mind was spinning. “But I mean, ‘falling in love’ is just an expression, right? Do you think I actually love him?”

“Um, I think you’re the only person who can answer that. And I don’t think it’s a disaster to realize you’re in love with the person you’re dating, who apparently loves you back. Or so I’ll assume.” He huffed and looked at the ceiling.

She smiled and patted his arm. “You’ll find someone, Poe.”

“I can’t believe I’m being comforted by my TA,” he moaned. “What has my life come to?”

She flicked him on the chin. “You’ve got to lose this beard. There’s way too much gray in it. Makes you look old.”

“This is my election beard. I can’t shave until next week.” 

“I don’t think that’s a thing.”

“No-Shave November is a thing, though,” he mused, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. “So really, I’ve got plenty of time with this baby.”

She rolled her eyes and directed her attention to a group of campaign officials surrounding Ben and Leia across the room. Ben caught her eye and waved her over.

“Guess what?” he said. “You’re trending.”

“Trending?”

“Yeah.” He held out his phone where the hashtag #IKnowReyNiima was trending. She frowned, confused. “I guess this morning a couple of your old classmates tweeted about you, and it caught on. Students who had you as their TA, kids in your dorms, etc. But it really exploded when random people identified with your story.”

She scrolled through some tweets.

@leenamay - _I was raised by a single mother who struggled to make ends meet. Times were hard but I worked hard to be where I am today #IKnowReyNiima_

@callmebanks - _Vote @LeiaOrgana because she’ll create a better future for families in poverty #IKnowReyNiima_

@daynadayday - _I may not know what its like to date the son of a president, but i know what its like to be hungry #iknowreyniima_

@JamesWrites - _I admire the bravery of Rey Niima for speaking out about her painful childhood. It encourages me to be honest about where I come from too #IKnowReyNiima_

@SenWedgeAntilles - _Rey Niima is an intelligent, brave young woman, and I’m grateful to have met her. I’m proud to share a ticket with @LeiaOrgana, who fights for those in need and works to provide hope for more children like Rey. #IKnowReyNiima_

Rey looked back at Ben, her eyes watery. 

“Here’s mine,” said Leia, handing her phone to Rey. Leia had tweeted a picture of the two hugging at one of the debates, accompanied with the caption, “ _Rey represents the best of the American Dream, and she is a great reminder to me to create opportunities for children in need. #IKnowReyNiima.”_

“And here’s mine,” said Ben, swiping on his phone.

“You tweeted from your campaign account?” Rey was astonished. 

“I almost tweeted it from my gamer account, so that was a close shave.”

Rey giggled. “No one would have seen it.” She took his phone.

@BenOrganaSolo - _Today, the nation got the opportunity to have just a taste of why I am grateful to have this amazing woman by my side @IKnowReyNiima._

He had attached a picture of them in front of Sleeping Beauty’s castle in Disneyland, her smile huge under her Minnie ears. Could that have only been the day before? It felt like a million years ago.

She switched out of twitter and googled her name.

_Leia Organa and Rey Niima Set the Record Straight on Rey’s Origins_

_The Elite Leia Organa Needed Rey Niima to Appeal to the Lower Classes_

_The Internet Desperately Wants to Know More about Ben Solo and Rey Niima’s First Encounter_

_#IKnowReyNiima Trends on Social Media_

_Rey Niima: I Am Everyone Who Has Ever Had a Dream_

Rey felt herself getting choked up, and wordlessly handed Ben back his phone.

“It looks like for the most part, the reception to the press conference has been positive,” said Leia.

A staffer spoke up. “Gallup just ran a poll asking asking if Rey’s connection to Palpatine will influence their vote. 96% said no.”

“But that’s still 4% who said yes,” Rey half-whispered.

Leia waved her hand impatiently. “Dear, I think most people’s minds are made up about how they’re voting by now. And if someone votes against me because of you, I don’t want their vote anyway.”

“Ha!” Ben laughed bitterly. “Yes you do.”

Leia gave him a Look.

“Will we ever be able to convince everyone that the Palpatine thing is completely ridiculous?” asked Rey.

“Probably not,” said Leia bluntly. “There are still whack-jobs who think that President Ackbar wasn’t born in this country. But we’ll just leave them to their bullshit alt-right blogs and assume that they were never going to vote for me in the first place.” She placed her hand on her heart. “It warms my heart to know that even if Mon wins, those pricks will still have to deal with a female president.”

Everyone laughed.

“All right, enough standing around,” said Leia. “We’ve got an election to win. Everyone, back to work!”

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, thank you for reading and especially for sharing your thoughts <3


	22. Election Day

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Brief Primer on Presidential Elections for My Non-American Readers, as Badly Explained by Yours Truly:
> 
> In the US, everyone votes for the president in a general election held on the Tuesday after the first Monday of November, every four years. However, the process is not as simple as the candidate with the most votes gets the win.
> 
> Instead, we use the Electoral College, a system established in our Constitution. On Election Day, an American votes for president in a state election, rather than a national one. Then, the state tallies their votes, declares a winner, and submits electoral votes for the winning candidate. 
> 
> So, essentially, the states elect a president.
> 
> There are 538 total electors from the fifty-one states plus DC, and the electors are distributed based on state population. For example, California, with the nation’s greatest population, has 55, and Wyoming, on the other hand, has three. A presidential candidate needs at least 270 electoral votes to win.
> 
> This process can be tedious, lasting all day and into the night. Some states declare a winner and submit their electoral votes quickly, especially if they are a state that will very likely go for the Democratic candidate (going “blue”) or the Republican candidate (going “red”). For example, in this story, Leia will almost be guaranteed a California win, as it is a solidly blue state, and she was a native Californian and their own former governor.
> 
> There are some states, however, that shift party alignment from election to election. Those are the states where the candidates would have been pounding the pavement. I based Ben’s and Rey’s whole campus tour around these battleground states. Presidential elections hinge on these states.
> 
> As you can imagine, the Electoral College is highly controversial. There are many reasons for this. Minority voters in very blue or red states may feel like their vote matters very little. Candidates largely ignore many states during campaigns. A lot of people in places like California feel like the electoral counts don’t fully account for shifting populations. And sometimes, the winner of the popular (individual) vote still loses the election. This happened most recently at our 2016 election.
> 
> Are you an expert on the Electoral College yet? No? That’s okay. Very few people are. I know I’m not. This was a highly simplified overview, but I hope it’s enough information to navigate this chapter. If anything is confusing, please let me know in the comments and I will try to clarify.

By the time Leia’s campaign plane touched back down in Los Angeles after the final week of her campaign, Rey was ready to sleep for a year. 

As the plane rolled to a stop, Ben released the tight grip he had on Rey’s hand. Over the past week, she had learned that for as much as he hated commercial flights, he hated private jets far more. He was a walking encyclopedia on private flight crashes and deaths.

If Leia noticed his anxiety about flying, she never commented on it. As much as it irritated her, Rey had to accept that maybe Ben’s father’s death was an issue that Ben and Leia would never be able to properly discuss.

Still, though, the fact that Ben had accompanied his mother to every campaign event in her final push was a big win. There were a lot of stops. On that day alone, they had visited four cities in three states. In every city, they met A-list celebrities and politicians. President Ackbar himself had spent the past couple days with them.

But through all that excitement and exhaustion, Rey just wanted more time with Ben. Sure, they had technically been together all week, but they were never alone and they were busier than Rey had ever been.

Miraculously, the Palpatine incident had turned out to be a positive for Leia’s campaign.

Ever since Rey’s speech, news outlets had called Rey “Leia’s secret weapon,” the bridge to the working class that wealthy, elite Leia had always lacked. Magazines fixated on Rey’s outfits and called her “America’s Kate,” which was endlessly amusing to Rey. Leia kept her pinned to her side for the whole last leg of her campaign.

Now at 3 AM, they were finally back in California for a few precious hours of sleep before waking up for what was sure to be a long, draining Election Day.

Rey hadn’t even slept on their red eye back from Philadelphia, as Amilyn and Poe debriefed everyone on the plan for the day.

Ben, on the other hand, slept peacefully with his neck pillow and giant noise-canceling headphones.

She’d have to fill him in later.

It was still her job, after all.

The plane opened to the tarmac, exposing a large crowd of supporters cheering for Leia. Next to her, Ben groaned.

“Why are these idiots awake?” he grumbled. “How long have they been waiting here?”

“We just have to get to that car over there,” she said, pointing across the tarmac. “You’ll live.”

In front of them, Leia managed to paste on an appreciative smile as she descended the airplane’s stairs, waving to her supporters. There were a number of reporters traveling with them, and they were all rapidly taking pictures.

“I cannot wait to lose these reporters,” whispered Ben, as he helped her down the stairs. She had taken her heels off for the duration of the flight, and her feet were screaming at her for putting them back on.

“In 24 hours this will all be over.” She took a quick moment to wave at some people who were calling her name.

“If only.”

 

\--

 

Despite only getting two hours of sleep, Rey popped up with the morning sun peeking through the heavy drapes in Leia’s guest bedroom. A couple of their campaign stops had been cold, and Rey had to admit that at some point over the past four years, she had become a true Californian, completely wimpy in the face of fifty degree weather.

She’d have to get used to cold weather all over again when she moved to DC. 

 _If_. 

It was unreal to think that by the time she got into bed that night, she would know if Leia was going to be president.

By all accounts, it was a very tight race, the polls swinging back and forth practically hourly.

She rolled over and nudged the sleeping lump next to her.

“Ben!” He didn’t move, so she shook him. “Ben! It’s Election Day!” 

He grumbled and slouched further into the sheets.

They were really nice sheets. Did Leia herself pick them out? It was hard to imagine Leia perusing the aisles of a Bed Bath and Beyond, but Rey supposed that Leia was human like anyone else. After the past couple months, she knew it more than ever.

But it was still more likely that her housekeeper Mrs. D’Acy had picked them out.

“C’mon, Ben,” she said, scratching his head the way he liked. “It’s Election Day!”

“Yeah, you said that already,” he croaked. “What is there to be excited about?”

“Are you kidding me?”

“It is going to be such a long day,” he said, rolling onto his back and covering his eyes with his arm.

“At least we’re in our time zone. Think of how late Mothma’s going to have to be up being in Eastern Time.”

“What is your hurry, anyway? You can’t even vote.”

She scowled and shoved him, hard. “I’m well aware, thank you very much.”

He moved his elbow to peek at her with one eye. “Who cares? Mom’s going to win California. Your vote wouldn’t have mattered.”

“All votes matter,” she said. “And it’s a symbolic gesture. That is why you’re going to smile for those cameras today at the polls.”

He groaned. “How come every other American gets to vote in secret, or even in the mail, and I have to go and put on a whole dog and pony show?”

“Your mom will appreciate the support,” said Rey. She paused for a moment. “How are you able to go to the same polling place, anyway? Surely your apartment is in a different electoral district?”

“This is my permanent address.”

“But what about your local elections?” He was silent, and she scoffed. “What am I even saying?” she said to the ceiling. “You don’t vote in municipal elections.”

“It’s easy to leave my address. All of my shit mail comes here. Mrs. D’Acy knows what to pitch and what to keep. DMV notice, keep. Alumni donation request, trash.”

“I cannot believe how many enablers are in your life.” Rey sank onto her back and scrubbed at her face. “And now I’m one of them.”

He chuckled and rolled over to her. “Hardly. It’s thanks to you I’m dragging my ass to the polls today.”

“You wouldn’t have voted for your mother?”

“Who says I’m voting for her?”

“You, unless you’d like to get murdered in your sleep.”

“So all those passionate speeches you made me give to thousands of students about voting your conscience were just lip service?”

“No.” She poked him in the chest. “We both know that voting your conscience is voting for your mom.”

“There’s about half of Americans who’d disagree.”

“As long as it’s slightly less than half of Americans, we’re good.”

 

-

 

Unsurprisingly, by the time they made it downstairs for breakfast, there was already a full crew bustling about Leia’s kitchen.

“I told you we should have just gone home last night,” muttered Ben.

“Would you rather be in traffic right now?” Rey lost no time helping herself to a Danish from a large spread on the island.

“I’d rather be home.”

Leia was surrounded by three men showing her statistics on their iPads. Her face was worried and worn, but it brightened slightly when she saw Ben and Rey in the corner of the kitchen. She shoved off the eager statisticians and came over, wrapping her arms around Ben’s waist.

“Hey, Mom,” he said, returning her hug. “Long time, no see,” he joked. “Did you enjoy your half hour of sleep?”

“You got a half hour?” Leia pretended to be shocked.

“Considering you haven’t slept, you looked great,” Rey told her.

Leia snickered. “You, my dear, are very sweet, and very, very wrong. Thankfully, Sabine will be here any minute. Makeup to wake up!” She waved her hand around to punctuate her words. “And you, Benji, had better put a suit on.”

“You act as if I’ve worn anything but for the past few days.”

“And every bit as grumpy about it as when you were ten.”

“I don’t know many ten-year-olds who would be happy about attending campaign fundraisers, no matter what they were wearing.”

“When are we taking off?” said Rey, prepared to step in between mother and son. 

“Word is that there’s already a crowd gathered at the school,” said Leia, referring to her local polling location. “Best not to keep them and the journalists waiting too long.”

She got called away to go over more numbers, and Ben leaned against the nearest counter.

“What is the point of all these stats?” he said. “She’s either going to win or she isn’t. It’s completely out of our hands at this point.”

“We’ve got people mobilized in every state, getting people to the polls, right up until they close.”

“Right, but what’s the point of flooding us with all this info? There’s other people dealing with this.”

“We have to be prepared for all outcomes. If we lose one key state, we need to know what path the votes have to follow at that point.”

“But why?” Ben rolled his eyes. “All this, ‘if she loses X state, then she has to get Y state.’ So? What is she going to do about it? Pray? Most votes will have already been cast.”

“I’ve seen you spend the whole fourth quarter of the football game listing out every possible scenario that could stage a comeback.”

“That’s different,” insisted Ben. “Those things are actually possible.”

“What, do you have an earpiece in the quarterback’s helmet? How are you going to change the outcome from your couch?”

Ben was about to retort, but Rey cut him off triumphantly anyway. “See?” she said. “We all have our ways of dealing with things we can’t control. Your mom will spend the day staring at results and numbers, and you will continue to wear those disgusting, holey lucky socks when the Steelers play.”

“I wouldn’t be talking about holey socks if I were you,” said Ben, smirking down at the old, mismatched pair of socks she was wearing, the only clean thing left after days of traveling.

“Oh, bugger off,” said Rey. “Now eat something so we can go change, Benji. Mummy wants you to wear your best suit.”

 

\--

 

“Don’t these people have jobs?” complained Ben when he spotted the large crowd gathered outside the elementary school where he and his mom would vote. He had said the same thing at every rally they had attended over the past few days.

“What, like you do?”

“I have a job,” said Ben.

“Well, maybe these people are on a fancy leave, too.”

Leia twisted to face them from the middle row of the SUV.

“Backseats are for making out, not arguing,” she said. “I swear, you two squabble more than Han and I did, and that is saying something.”

Ben frowned and crossed his arms, although whether it was because of the making out comment or the comparison to his parents, she wasn’t sure.

As their car pulled to the curb, the crowd got louder, and a horde of reporters and news cameras began to close in on them. However, whereas Leia usually jumped right out to greet crowds, she held back.

“My last campaign appearance,” said Leia. “The next time anyone sees me, I’ll either be a winner or a loser.”

“You’ll win,” said Rey, hoping to cheer up the unusually wistful Leia.

“Don’t pop the champagne corks yet,” she said.

“Hey,” said Rey, leaning forward so she could rest a supportive hand on Leia’s arm, “The important thing is that you’re about to cast a vote for yourself. You get to vote for yourself to be the president of the United States, to be the first female president. That’s incredible. Just that makes you a winner in my book, and in all those people’s books.” She pulled back to elbow Ben in the side. “Right, Ben?”

“Uh, yeah,” he said. 

Rey sneaked a side eye at Ben’s half-hearted effort before returning to squeeze Leia’s hand.

“I wish I could vote for you, too,” said Rey. “I’m sorry.”

“Sweetie, for the last time, you don’t need to apologize for something completely out of your control.” A Secret Service agent came around and opened Leia’s door, and the roar of the crowd grew louder.

Leia climbed out and waved gamely to the crowd before addressing some reporters and fans.

“Would you smile?” Rey hissed at Ben, as they followed Leia through the crowd.

“No one’s looking at me.” He gestured at his mom, looking like a Beatle. “Besides, we both know I look like a kidnapping victim when I try to smile.”

“Pretend you’re casting a Patronus,” said Rey. “Summon a happy memory.” 

“Eh, Harry Potter is overrated.”

“Gah!” She threw up her hands. “Whenever I think you can’t possibly hate one more thing that brings normal people joy, you always manage to surprise me. Are you really going to tell a British orphan that Harry Potter is overrated? That’s like, a personal attack.”

A reporter turned their way and Rey smiled wide and waved, squeezing Ben’s hand tighter until he made a weak effort to smile, as well.

He’d really be rubbish against a Dementor.

 

\--

 

With the voting circus over and related social media posts uploaded, Leia’s entourage had nothing left to do but watch the results roll in, like the “most boring NFL draft ever,” as Ben put it.

They checked into the JW Marriott downtown, their sanctuary for the day. After the crazy week and morning, the gathering in the suite was very sparse. They had finally shed the reporters, and the group was just Leia, Rey, Ben, Amilyn, Wedge and Norra Antilles, a few other trusted staffers, and their security detail. Anyone else was either at the still-busy campaign headquarters, where Poe was leading the charge, or down the street at the LA Convention Center, which would likely be eventually filled with thousands of Leia supporters, partying and waiting for what they hoped would be her victory speech. 

“That must be the stupidest party in the world,” said Ben, as they looked out at the crowds beginning to gather in the distance. “It could be the most disappointing night of their lives.”

“How is that any different than a Super Bowl party?” asked Rey. “Your team could lose.”

“Then you’d at least get to watch a football game. They’re going to spend their whole party watching Wolf Blitzer and John King swipe at a magic map. That’s not fun.”

“Says you.”

“My mom seems to agree with me,” said Ben, gesturing to Leia across the room, who was staring at the TV screen like it was making her physically ill. She hadn’t touched the delicious catered lunch that had been delivered to the suite.

“Go sit with her,” encouraged Rey.

“She brought this upon herself.”

Rey shook her head at him, and left him to do it herself. Silently, she and Leia watched as CNN correspondents interviewed random citizens at polling places across the nation. 

Any time the interviewee said they had voted for Mothma, Leia’s templed fingers pinched in a little tighter.

After a number of these, Rey set her hand on Leia’s leg.

“You know what I think it is?” said Rey, attempting a joke. “I fear that word got out that you raised a son who doesn’t like Harry Potter.”

Leia looked at her, incredulous. “Doesn’t like Harry Potter? What were those midnight parties at Barnes n Noble for, then?”

Rey didn’t bother hiding her smirk as she looked at Ben across the room. He returned her look with a confused one.

“Well, then, you raised a son who tells people he doesn’t like Harry Potter,” continued Rey. “And that may be worse.”

Leia managed a small smile. “You’re right about that.” 

The screen changed to footage from various pro-Organa rallies around the country, with women gushing about what Leia Organa meant to them, and her smile grew a little more.

Amilyn joined them, rapidly going over the latest exit polling data, and every possible combination of states they’d need. They were particularly hoping for a Florida win. They were neck and neck in exit polls in key counties. President Ackbar’s first win had largely hinged on those Florida votes.

When the TV returned to the main newsroom with great fanfare, everyone quieted. The reporters looked excited to finally have some news to share.

The first states to be called were Kentucky and Indiana for Mothma, and Vermont for Organa, 19 votes to 3.

“Well, no surprises there,” said Amilyn, when everyone seemed capable of breathing again.

\--

 

Two more hours ticked painfully by. Sometimes Amilyn would know a state before the news did, and sometimes she wouldn’t. 

When Rey was a kid, she had sometimes swiped rubber bands from her neighbor’s newspapers to play with. On lucky occasions, she’d find the nice, thick, tight ones. Those were her favorites.

She liked to stretch them as wide as they could go, and fling them into the distance, knocking over empty bottles and cans.

That moment before the release was her favorite, with the tension and anticipation at its highest.

That’s what the room felt like, but this time, she had no control.

 

\--

 

Organa was at 97, and Mothma was at 86. None of the crucial states had been called.

“Why do there have to be so many states?” whined Rey, collapsing onto Ben’s lap. “You couldn’t stop at thirteen, you greedy bastards? This election would already be over.”

“There wouldn’t have even been thirteen if you British weren’t way more greedy first. No one is better at snatching up land.”

“You can’t tease me with British jokes. If you haven’t noticed, I’m trying my hardest to not be British anymore.”

“Will that come with you losing the accent?”

“How could I - “

“Don’t,” continued Ben, smoothing the hair from her forehead. “I like it.”

Across the room, Wolf Blitzer’s voice announced that they had called Florida for Mothma, much earlier than anyone had expected. It must not have been as close a race as they had predicted. 

Leia let out a chain of expletives so severe that even Rey, a native of working-class London, winced.

“This is excruciating,” said Ben, leaning his head back against the chair. “Let’s get out of here.”

“Um, we can’t leave.”

“Why not? We’ve still got hours before we know anything definitive.”

“Damn this Electoral College,” grumbled Rey. “It’s stacked against Democrats. We really need to move to a -”

“Popular vote,” Ben finished for her. “Yes, I’ve heard your rant before. But you know, your buddy Hamilton himself defended the Electoral College. Even if that didn’t make it into your musical.”

A few nights before, they had been treated to a VIP showing of _Hamilton_ in Chicago. Predictably, Ben had not shared Rey’s extreme delight at the invitation. The triumph she had felt whenever he laughed or even cried (a fact he vehemently denied) had been worth all of the begging she had had to do to get him to attend.

“You loved it,” said Rey.

“I’ll plead the Fifth.” Ben kissed her nose. “An Amendment which was written by one of the story’s villains James Madison, I’ll have you know.”

“It literally says that in the musical. Doesn’t change the fact that he was a slave owner.”

“So was George Washington.”

Across the room, everyone erupted into cheers. “We got Oregon!” Amilyn cried. She must have gotten inside info, because Wolf was still talking about Florida.

Rey nearly jumped up to join them, but Ben held her down. “We already knew she’d get that one,” he said. “I’m serious, this sucks, let’s bounce.”

“Ben, this hotel is surrounded by reporters. We could never escape.”

“I’m going to lose my mind. This is the longest day of my life.”

“What would distract you?”

“Pop-a-Shot.”

Rey smiled, remembering the afternoon they had spent in Las Vegas at the arcade. He had helped her that day, pulled her out of a funk she had fallen into, when her bad memories had threatened to seize control.

She wanted to do the same for him. For both of them.

“You know,” she said thoughtfully, “We never have had a rematch on our pinball competition.”

“I’ve put it completely out of my mind.”

“Yeah, because you _lost_. And I got the joy of listening to you give that NPR interview. There were some points I was sure you’d storm out, but for 34 precious minutes, you sounded like you cared about any of this.”

“I can bullshit with the best of them.” He shrugged. “You think they’ve got a pinball machine in this swankass hotel?”

“I dare you to ask the concierge.”

“Done.” He gave her a toothy grin, and found the suite’s landline phone. A minute or two later, he returned.

“So?”

“So no dice on the pinball machine, but get this - they said they could have one delivered. I actually kind of felt bad for the concierge. She was so apologetic, I got secondhand embarrassment.”

“So it’s on its way, right?”

He laughed. “I’m not that cruel.”

“Let’s find a pinball app on your phone.”

“Fine.” Ben messed around on his phone before handing it to Rey. 

“Zombie Attack Pinball?”

“It was the first one that came up.”

The mood in the room soured when Texas went for Mothma, a fact that surprised no one, but with those 38 delegates, Mothma was well in the lead.

Rey and Ben took advantage of the distraction and slipped into the suite’s bedroom. Rey lay on her stomach on the bed and Ben followed.

Zombie Pinball was genuinely terrible, but it made it more fun as they laughed at the primitive graphics and cheesy, low production soundtrack. Ben agreed to allow the room’s TV to be set on CNN on mute, lest Rey burst into pieces not knowing what was going on.

After an hour of this, Rey and Mon Mothma were both solidly in their respective leads.

“And I win another round!” shouted Rey when Ben’s last ball dropped. “My score was higher. You’ll never catch up, even if we play all night.”

He grumbled something under his breath, which Rey happily interpreted as him agreeing.

“You know, we never set the stakes before we started,” said Rey.

Ben cocked an eyebrow. “Is that so?”

“Yes. Now I’ve got to think of something good.”

“What if I told you who I voted for?”

Rey sprang to attention. “Wait, really?”

The whole day, Ben had been coy about his vote, and her curiosity was killing her. He had assured her that he had voted for the various lower-level candidates and laws that Rey had meticulously researched and picked, but he hadn’t mentioned his presidential vote.

It was ludicrous that she should even have to wonder, but it was _Ben_. When she had created his social media post about his vote, she hadn’t even written anything about voting for his mom, because she wasn’t sure. Instead, she had posted a pic of him and Leia entering the polls with a completely innocuous blurb about the joys of participating in democracy.

“I know you’re dying to know,” he said. She didn’t bother denying it. “I voted for…” He paused dramatically. “A woman.”

“Ben!” 

“Hey, I could have voted for Snoke,” he said, referring to the long-shot third party candidate.

“Very funny.”

“Fine. I voted for my mom.” His gaze fell to his lap. “But I almost voted for Mothma,” he added, his voice lowered to a whisper. “That’s what took me so long in the booth. I know I told you it was because I was trying to remember all the stupid things you wanted me to vote for, but really it was because I stared at those names for so long.”

“How did you decide?”

“I knew I could never look my mom in the face again. And I did it for you.” He took her hand. “Because you couldn’t. So don’t be expecting anything for Christmas.”

She laughed shakily, her relief affecting her entire body. 

“Plus,” he added flippantly, “California was a lock. It didn’t matter anyway. I’m sure they’ll call it with like, three precincts reporting.”

“Be that as it may, I’ll take your generous gift.” She kissed him tenderly, but yanked her lips from his when the door to the bedroom swung open.

Leia burst in, not even seeming to notice Ben and Rey. She slammed the door shut, locked it, and took some deep, labored breaths, visible even from a distance. Ben and Rey exchanged a worried look.

“Hey, uh, Mom?”

Leia jumped at the sound of Ben’s voice. “Oh, hey, Sweetie, I didn’t know anyone was in here.”

Her fake cheery tone fooled no one. “Mom, it’s okay to be freaking out. You have every right to be.”

“Mon just picked up Ohio. And I knew she would; it’s her own state. But I’m just watching her pick up state after state and I…” Her chest began heaving again. “I can’t handle this.”

She sank onto the edge of the bed, and Rey scooted forward to pat her on the arm. “Mothma is just picking up a lot of low delegate flyover states that they can call early. They haven’t called most of the battleground states, and you know you’ll get New York and California.”

“I know all that,” snapped Leia. Rey yanked her hand back, making Leia press her face into her hands.  “I’m sorry. I’m sorry. You’re right. I’m just-”

“I understand,” Rey quickly assured her.

Ben sat on Leia’s other side and wrapped his arm around his tiny mother. 

“Hey,” he said, in his kindest, most sincere voice, “no matter what happens, you should be incredibly proud. I’m incredibly proud.”

“You’ve hated every moment of this campaign.”

“I’m still proud.” He squeezed her shoulders. “And if you hadn’t run, I never would have met Rey. So thank you for that.”

“A match.com membership would have been a lot cheaper.”

Ben laughed outright at that. “You know what? I don’t think we ever would have matched.” He looked behind his mom at Rey fondly. 

“What will I do if I lose?” Leia’s voice faltered on the last word.

“You’ll give the greatest concession speech this country has ever known. And then when you go home-” Ben rubbed her shoulder. “-you’ll still have me. But I’m sorry if it’s not good enough.”

Leia looked sharply at her son. “Don’t say that, Benji. Never say that.”

“I know how much this means to you.”

“It does,” she admitted. “It always has. My dad could have been president, you know. I’ve wanted this my whole life. But, Sweetheart.” She took Ben’s face in both of her hands. “You are the most important thing in my life. Win or lose, you have to understand that. I’m sorry that I give you any reason to doubt that. But I love you so much.”

Ben pulled her into his chest and looked at the ceiling, blinking rapidly. “I love you, too, Mom.”

The moment was so intimate, Rey felt like an invader. She looked around the room for a quiet escape. The feeling got worse when Leia spoke again, softly.

“I really miss your dad.”

Ben’s grip on Leia tightened. When he spoke, his voice was thick. “I know, Mom. Me too.”

“He would have been so grumpy today.”

A laugh burst from Ben, making his mom shake against his chest. “Yes, he would have. But he’d be here. He loved you.”

“You’re so much like him. There’s so many things I regret about me and your dad, and how we left things, but I think the hardest part is that he never got to see the man you grew up to be. He’d be so proud.”

Ben lowered his head. “The last he knew of me, I was being a little shit.”

“Sweetheart, you were eighteen. He was being your dad. That’s what parents are for. You came home that weekend because you needed my help.” She sighed. “I made things worse.” Her voice was heavy with exhaustion and regret.

Ben and Leia sat silently for a long while. Rey eyed the door to the bathroom, staging her careful escape. But the moment felt so significant, she was afraid to break it. Maybe, hopefully, they had both forgotten she was there.

“Hey, Mom?” At his voice, Leia looked up into her son’s misty eyes. “When you have time and energy, whether it’s tomorrow or in eight years, I want you to know that you can-” Ben took a deep breath. “You can date, or whatever. I feel like you’ve held yourself back all this time because of me. But I don’t want you to, anymore. I don’t want you to be lonely. And Dad wouldn’t have wanted that, either.”

Leia reached up and smoothed Ben’s hair lovingly. “You’re a good son.” Then her mood turned playful as she tweaked his nose. “Even at times when you’re still a little shit.”

“Hey!” cried Ben, grabbing his nose.

“I will admit you’ve been less shitty since you’ve got this one to keep you in line,” said Leia, reaching for Rey’s hand. Rey allowed herself to breathe, no longer needing to mimic a statue. “Han would have loved you, Rey.”

“Yeah,” agreed Ben, his face soft. “He would have.”

Leia pulled her in, and the three settled into a group hug that Rey would have been content to stay in for the rest of the night. However, something in the corner of her eye made her sit up straight.

“Hey,” she said, pointing at the muted TV. “You got Pennsylvania!”

Leia dove for the remote on the nightstand, amplifying Wolf Blitzer’s voice.

“...just getting a report that Wisconsin has been called for Leia Organa,” he said. 

“And Wisconsin!” Rey practically screeched.

“You better get back out there,” said Ben, nodding to the locked door. “I’m sure Amilyn’s about to have a conniption.” 

“Okay.” Leia stood and straightened out her blouse. Rey reached up to smooth a piece that had escaped from her bun. Thankfully, Sabine was due back at any time to touch everyone up. “Thanks, you two.” Leia opened the door to a slew of staffers who swarmed in on her immediately.

Rey scooted closer to Ben and laced their fingers together. “You okay?” she asked. 

“For now,” was all he said. He glared at the blue states on the TV screen, and Rey felt torn in a way that she had never expected to be just a couple months earlier.

 

\--

 

The pendulum had swung.

The states were pouring in. Sometimes they came in batches, and sometimes alone, but the electoral counts were rapidly climbing. Mon Mothma’s long parade of states had significantly slowed, and Leia’s count was surging.

Virginia and North Carolina were both called for Leia, and the room exploded.

The statistical likelihood of a Leia win crept higher. Poe called in from headquarters to back up the promising numbers they were seeing on the TV screen.

Amilyn was getting excited. She and Leia were focusing their efforts far more on her acceptance speech, rather than her concession speech.

Rey could see the horde of reporters thickening outside the hotel’s entrance, waiting for Leia. Sometimes the TV’s perspective changed to those very reporters, speculating on when she may emerge and head towards the Convention Center.

The scenes that they showed made it seem like quite the party.

On the other hand, the coverage from the Duke Energy Convention Center in Cincinnati painted a much more somber picture. 

It was beginning to feel very real.

They were so close, 270 was practically an inevitability. The mood over their catered dinner was much brighter than lunch had been, and even Leia ate a bit. Over the course of the evening, the suite filled with more members of Leia’s inner circle.

Rey didn’t know what to do with Ben, though. Where everyone in the suite was the sunshine breaking through a long, gray day, Ben was that one stubborn dark cloud that didn’t get the memo, hovering in the corner, staring at his phone.

She wanted to go to him, but didn’t know what to say. Thankfully, Leia didn’t appear to notice or care about her son’s lack of revelry. She seemed to be in a daze. 

Amilyn hung up her phone and held up her hands for everyone to listen to her.

“They’re about to call Michigan,” she said importantly, “and it’s blue!”

There was a heavy pause in the room, when everyone seemed to be doing mental math and time seemed to stop. Then all hell broke loose.

That was it. 

She’d hit it.

Amilyn and Leia hugged each other, tears streaming down their faces. Wedge kissed his wife. The other staffers cheered and high-fived and hugged. Someone loudly popped a bottle of champagne, and glasses were passed around.

The news media must have announced Leia’s presumed victory, because the cameras switched to the enormous crowd at the LA Convention Center, cheering wildly. At some point, the crowd began chanting, “270! 270! 270!”

Ben had mentioned at multiple campus rallies that he hated crowd chanting. “Bunch of idiotic lemmings,” he’d always say, quite the rich sentiment for a sports fan.

When she looked for his reaction to the chant, she realized that in the midst of all the celebrating, he’d disappeared. A sense of guilt emptied Rey of the euphoria she had felt since the announcement, and she stepped into the bedroom.

He wasn’t there, nor was he in the open bathroom.

She knew he wouldn’t leave the hotel, not with all those reporters waiting to pounce. Trying to block out all the noise, she forced herself to think.

Her mind conjured the image of a rooftop dance, months before.

With no one paying any attention to her, Rey slipped out of the suite. The Secret Service agent posted outside the door made eye contact with her, and tipped his head in the direction of a door at the end of the hall.

She nodded gratefully, and found the door he had indicated, marked “Roof Access.” It led to a rooftop patio, closed for the evening, likely because of them.

Ben was standing in the far corner, a dark figure under the purpling sky. She approached him, reflecting on how much had changed since the last time she had done this.

“Hey,” she said softly, trying not to scare him.

He didn’t look up from his phone.

“Hey,” he said flatly.

“How are you doing?” It was a stupid question, and Rey bit her lip anxiously.

“I’m just peachy.” He stuck his phone in his pocket and spun to face her. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

“Ben-”

“Who wouldn’t be thrilled that their mother is the largest public figure in the world? Who wouldn’t want to have their every move scrutinized, or investigated, or be forced to attend State dinners, or have the Secret Service trail them every minute of their life for four to eight _fucking_ years?”

She didn’t respond, and he turned away again, his voice hollow.

“You shouldn’t be here. You should go back downstairs and celebrate. I promise I’ll make it to her damn speech.”

“Don’t act like how you’re feeling isn’t important to me, too.”

He gripped the balcony, but didn’t object when she joined him, leaning over the edge to watch the busy street below.  

“I didn’t want her to lose,” he said. “I’m not a monster.” 

“No one said-”

He gave her a look that silenced her, before he took a deep breath and released it slowly, making his hair flutter.

“But I didn’t want her to win. So much for being this great son, huh.”

Cautiously, Rey laid a hand on his back.

“You don’t have to be part of her administration, Ben. I know that your life is going to change in unavoidable ways, but you can be honest with your mom. She’ll understand. And she will still be your mom.”

“But what about you?”

“What about me?”

“You’re going to go with her.” The pain in his voice caused something inside her to break. 

“Nothing is for certain,” she began, but he shook his head.

“We both know it is.” He shifted to meet her eyes in the patio’s lowlights. “I don’t want to go to DC, Rey. If I’m there, I can’t… I can’t avoid the things that I hate. I want things to go back to how they were. I just want to be left alone to live my life.”

“Oh.” She took a step back, and Ben grabbed her hand.

“That’s not what I meant. I want _us_ to be left alone. I want you and me, together, away from all this. But that’s not what you want. I get it. I asked for this when I started dating you. I’ve always known, deep down, that this would be how it ends. It’s not your fault I got carried away.”

“Ben!” Her voice came out as a gasp. “Why are you talking about ending?”

“You don’t owe me anything. You’ve always been honest about your goals and plans from the moment I met you. I kept lying to myself, again and again, thinking maybe my mom would lose and this issue would never arise. I deluded myself into thinking that we could settle into a quiet life here, together, and no one would care about Ben Solo ever again. But in one day, it’s gone.”

Rey grabbed both his arms and practically shook him. “Would you stop? You’re not even giving me a chance to speak.”

“What is there to say? You’re going; I’m staying.”

“Do you _want_ me to go?” Rey’s head was reeling.

“Of course not!” Ben looked horrified. “But I can’t ask you to stay. If you miss out on an opportunity like this, I couldn’t forgive myself. This is everything you’ve worked for. You deserve it. If you stay, you’ll grow to resent me.”

Rey felt the sting of rising tears. “What if I want to choose you?” she asked.

Ben squeezed his eyes shut, and rested his forehead against hers, grasping her shoulders. “I can’t ask you to do that. Please, admit it. You want to work in the White House.”

“Yes, I do.”

She felt him nod, hard, against her.

“And you’re going to. I’m going to make sure of it.”

“Why?” she cried, her voice choked.

“Because I love you.”

_There they were._

Those three little words she had been waiting for since Poe had told her that Ben loved her. She knew that there had never been the time, the moment, but she had still worried that Ben had never really meant it in the first place.

Her shoulders slumped in relief, and she collapsed into his chest. Their heartbeats met, a thundering cacophony of chaos.

“I love you,” he said again, softer, “and that is why I have to let you go.”

Her tears were falling freely, now. “I love you, too.” She felt him take a deep breath under her, and she swiped at her eyes so that she wouldn’t get mascara on his white shirt. “We don’t have to let each other go, right? This is worth saving. I love you. You love me. We can make it work, right?”

“We’ll figure it out, I promise.” 

“What about this?” She was speaking quickly, needing some kind of a resolution. She couldn’t leave things up in the air, dangling on a thread. Pulling back, she looked at him earnestly. “What if we agreed to one year? One year of long-distance. Then I’ll have that experience of being in the White House, and then we could, I don’t know, re-evaluate?”

“Okay.” He leaned in and nodded against her forehead. “You are worth waiting for, Rey. I’d wait much longer for you.”

Ben’s phone buzzed in his pocket.

“I wonder if everyone noticed we’re gone,” she said.

She wrapped her arms around his neck.

“You’re not going to force me to answer?” asked Ben. 

Tightening her hold, she said, “The election is over. She won. If we’re a few minutes late to the victory party, it’s not like anyone can suddenly go and change their vote.”

He chuckled softly.

“Hey, Ben?”

“Hm?”

She felt a little silly, but still asked, “Do you want to dance?”

He didn’t laugh at her. Nodding slowly, he pulled out his phone.

“Did you have a song in mind?” he asked.

“No. You can pick something.”

He fiddled with his phone for a second before it filled the evening air with an eerie piano chord. Ben pulled her back in, close, and swayed gently.

It was nothing like their dance, months before, at the Organa Gala, all twirls and laughs. 

 

_The Atlantic was born today, and I’ll tell you how_

 

She wanted to sink into the moment, into him. She wanted the world around them to disappear. 

She wanted time to freeze, for nothing to ever change.

She wanted to give it all up, to stay with him. She wanted to beg him to follow her.

She wanted to scream at the world for giving her Ben right before everything had to fall away.

She wanted to announce to the whole world that Ben Solo loved her.

 

_The distance is quite simply much too far for me to row_

 

_It seems farther than ever before_

 

She rested her cheek against Ben’s chest, and he held her tight with one arm while he stroked her hair with the other.

 

_I need you so much closer_

 

_I need you so much closer_

 

Her tears were falling down her cheeks, and she finally let them. None of it mattered, how they looked, what they wore, who they saw, who’d see them.

All that mattered was right now, them, swaying under the dusk.

 

_I need you so much clo-_

 

Suddenly, with no apparent resolution, the music stopped mid-word. Rey and Ben both froze awkwardly. 

Rey started giggling.

“That couldn’t have been the end.”

“No,” he said, his lips curling. “My phone must have died.”

“Nice one, Phone,” she said. “Way to kill the moment.”

“Hey, don’t blame my phone.”

She laughed and stepped back, wiping her eyes. “You’re right, maybe your mom commissioned a satellite to malfunction and cut off the song so we’d come back.”

“Oh, my gosh,” said Ben, eyes wide. “In a couple of months, she’s going to have the power to do stuff like that. My mother is going to be the most powerful person on Earth. That is a truly terrifying thought.” 

“What have you been doing on your phone all day anyway? Surely you haven’t been reading about the election.”

“Nah, I muted the election on twitter. A couple days ago, there was a new DLC pack released for _Silencer_. Everyone was talking about it. It was refreshing.”

“Ah.” She nodded. “And did Kylo Ren have an opinion on it?”

“No.” He scowled. “I haven’t had any time to play it.”

Resting her hands on his cheeks, she said, “Tomorrow we’ll sleep until noon and play _Silencer_ together, okay?”

“You’ll kill my gamer rating.”

She yanked her hands off and pushed him. “Well, sorry I offered.”

Smiling, he pulled her back in. “There is nothing I would rather do.” He kissed her. “I love you, Rey.”

“I love you, too.”

“I love you.” He kissed her nose. “I love you.” He kissed her forehead. “I love you.” 

She met his lips, basking in every silent promise he made with his lingering kisses and caresses. She finally forced herself to pull away even though it wasn’t enough. It could never be enough.

He took one of her hands and squeezed tightly.

“I think it’s time,” he said.

“Yes,” she agreed. She smoothed her clothes and pointed at her teary face. “How do I look?”

“Well, I think you always look beautiful.” He paused. “But Sabine may want to fix your makeup before the speech.”

“That’s a very kind way of saying I look terrible,” she said, giving him a quick kiss. “But I love you for it.”

“Shall we?”

“Yes.” She took his hand. “Let’s go.”

  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It is important to note that this story is 100% backed by Dawn's Overtly HEA guarantee
> 
> The song they dance to is "Transatlanticism," the title track of an album that Ben has said his eighteen-year-old self was obsessed with. Listen [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O07WK7-ZkHs)
> 
> I wanted to have this chapter up for Iowa (which wasn't worth celebrating, anyway), and then New Hampshire, and then Nevada, but hey, I made it before South Carolina! Thanks for reading and for all your support!


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